Behavioural Perspective to Understand the Case of David Berkowitz

Behavioural Perspective

By Meher Gandhi (1930244)

To clearly understand David Berkowitz’s case through the behavioural perspective, it is important to understand the theories that make the crux of the perspective including operant conditioning, observational learning and classical conditioning and how they can be applied Berkowitz’s case.

Operant Conditioning and David Berkowitz

Operant conditioning can be applied for clearer understanding of Berkowitz’s actions. This method was proposed by B. F. Skinner according to whom operant behaviours depend on the consequences of our actions. These consequences lead to the repetition or termination of our behaviour. These consequences also exist as reinforcers and punishments, each of which can be either positive or negative. Positive reinforcers include addition of rewards which strengthen the occurrence of a particular behaviour (response), making it more likely to occur again. Negative reinforcers include removal of something that is unfavourable which further leads to strengthening of the behaviour. Positive punishment refers to the addition of an unpleasant event or object which leads to weakening of the response and it lessens the frequency of the response. Negative punishment includes removal of a favourable event or object which also leads to the behaviour being weakened (Cherry, 2020). 

According to Berkowitz’s entries in his diary, he indulged in various criminal activities like setting fires and even shoplifting during his childhood and young adulthood. His dangerous act of setting fires never led to any legal consequences, as admitted by Berkowitz himself (Spradling & Dahl, n.d.). The absence of legal consequences can be viewed as negative reinforcers. It is a reinforcer because it is strengthening the criminal behaviour of Berkowitz and it became more likely for Berkowitz to indulge in the behaviour again without any fear. However, it is ‘negative’ reinforcement because the unfavourable object of legal punishments was removed. Thus, we can say that all the criminal actions committed by Berkowitz that were not legally addressed became reasons for further criminal actions like the killings and animal abuse.

Observational Learning and David Berkowitz

Observational learning was given by Albert Bandura whose theory is also called the social learning theory. This learning process includes observation of behaviour and then modelling it. According to Bandura, for observational learning to occur, the following four conditions must be achieved: attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. The observer should be attentive enough to be able to perceive the observed behaviour. Retention refers to the remembering of the observed behaviour as one must remember it before modelling it. Reproduction includes copying the observed behaviour and enacting it. Lastly, motivation refers to the willingness of the observer to imitate the behaviour. Thus, the observer must have and be aware of a reason to model the behaviour (Stone, 2017).

Observational learning can be applied to Berkowitz’s case. Berkowitz’s adoptive father showed irresponsible behaviour when he went away with Berkowitz’s new stepmother, leaving Berkowitz behind all on his own at the age of 18 years. Berkowitz has been classified as a disorganized criminal which means that he did not plan out any disposal of the bodies. He was also not planned in his behaviour as he did not chart out his victim before-hand (Spradling & Dahl, n.d.). His actions prove that neither his actions were responsible nor was he organized in his criminal behaviour. Thus, we can say that David Berkowitz observed and learned irresponsible behaviour which was exhibited in serious situations (like leaving a young child alone in the father’s case and killing without any responsible thought in Berkowitz’s case) as they were also exhibited by his adoptive father. 

Classical Conditioning and David Berkowitz

Classical conditioning was given by Ivan Pavlov. He suggested that learning occurs through stimuli and responses. According to him, an unconditioned stimulus is the object which leads to a response that is automatic. A neutral stimulus is the object that does not elicit any response but this neutral stimulus can become a conditioned stimulus which leads to a response. An unconditioned response is the automatic response which occurs without our thinking about it. A conditioned response is the response which is learned and exhibited even when the conditioned stimulus is presented and it is similar to the response elicited when the learner is presented with the unconditioned stimulus (Cherry, What Is Classical Conditioning?, 2022).

According to reports, David Berkowitz killed several women and even couples (Hayden, 2020). For his criminal activities, he blamed his birth mother who sent him for adoption. While growing up, he struggled with his insecurities and he did not think that his physical characteristics made him attractive (Spradling & Dahl, n.d.). His insecurities can be the unconditioned stimulus which somehow had been paired with women and the idea of having romantic relationships. Thus, the women and couples became the conditioned stimulus which elicited the conditioned response of intense hatred and murder from David Berkowitz.

Hence, the behavioural perspective and the three learning methods and theories of operant conditioning, observational learning and classical conditioning discussed can help us understand the case of David Berkowitz at a psychological level and can help us in analysing his criminal actions.

References

Cherry, K. (2020). What Is Operant Conditioning and How Does It Work? Retrieved from Verywell Mind: https://www.verywellmind.com/operant-conditioning-a2-2794863#toc-types-of-behaviors

Cherry, K. (2022). What Is Classical Conditioning? Retrieved from Verywell Mind: https://www.verywellmind.com/classical-conditioning-2794859

Hayden, A. V. (2020). What Was Son Of Sam’s Calling Card? David Berkowitz Said He Was ‘Programmed’ To Kill. Retrieved from Oxygen: https://www.oxygen.com/mark-of-a-killer/crime-news/why-son-of-sam-kill-david-berkowitz-programmed-kill

Spradling, S., & Dahl, D. (n.d.). Serial Killer Analysis: David Berkowitz. Retrieved from StuDocu: https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/washburn-university/forensic-psychological-and-criminal-profiling/serial-killer-analysis-david-berkowitz-son-of-sam/11648698

Stone, S. M. (2017). Observational learning. Retrieved from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/science/observational-learning