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YSU Prof Explains Why People Do What They Do
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- A newly published book by an associate professor of psychology at Youngstown State University is drawing rave reviews from his colleagues.One of Stephen Flora's objectives is to spread the word about his area of specialty -- behavioral psychology, and he advanced that goal recently with the publication of his book, The Power of Reinforcement.Reviewers of the 269-page book, including psychology colleagues at the University of Delaware and the University of North Carolina, have called the book extraordinary, fascinating and influential. "It's good to see a lot of hard work pay off and also to receive support and encouragement from my peers," said Flora, who earned a doctorate at the University of Georgia and has taught at YSU for 10 years. The book was a "featured title" at the Association of Behavior Analysis' annual conference this spring. The book also will be a required text this fall for the doctoral program in special education at Ohio State University. Flora will serve as a guest faculty via teleconference.Flora's book, published by the State University of New York Press, focuses on reinforcement principles, exploring how they can help shape behavioral patterns. Reinforcement, Flora said, is the process of strengthening behavior through consequences.Using his own research and work experiences as well as the research of other psychology experts, Flora uses a wide variety of examples in the book to explain reinforcement, from Stephen King's writing and Darwin's theory to drug abuse, gambling and criminal behavior."Why do some children skip school to get drunk, 'high' or 'wasted' on drugs, while other children get to school on time, work hard on their homework and participate in extracurricular activities such as bands, debate clubs, interscholastic activities or plays?" Flora asks in the book's introduction.The answer: People do what they are reinforced for doing, Flora said."Reinforcement contingencies are continually affecting human behavior, even when we are not aware of it," he said in an interview. "For instance, people end up as criminals because some form of reinforcement has shaped them that way."Flora said reinforcement is beneficial when used in a positive way to help modify behaviors. "It's the approach that works," he said.Flora said his book disproves the notion of critics that reinforcement is an overly simplistic "rat psychology." "This book is meant to respond to the myths, misrepresentations and criticisms of the purposeful use of reinforcement and to accurately present the use and potential uses of reinforcement in society," Flora says in the book.Visit Youngstown State University at www.ysu.edu"