Cool Hand Luke

COOL HAND LUKE

Cool Hand Luke is a film that represents the disadvantages of the uses of punishment and negative reinforcement to change behavior. Punishment decreases the frequency of a behavior. Negative reinforcement increases the likelihood of a response by removing or preventing an unpleasant stimulus. Both are expedient, sometimes necessary, measures. They have drawbacks, though.

1. Give an example from the film for each of the following drawbacks of behavior modification.

2. Think of a time in your life when you experienced them as well.

A. Anger and fear are side effects. The biggest lesson the victim of punishment may learn is to hate the punisher.

B. The whole situation may lead to total avoidance. For example, a child who is severely punished for breaking a family rule may run away from home.

C. What appears to be a punishment may actually be reinforcement. For instance, a student who is publicly scolded in class may enjoy the attention.

D. Punishment may encourage peer glorification of the sufferer. The “martyr’s” behavior may be imitated.