A Clockwork Orange: A Psychological Analysis Essay

The major theme of the movie can be interpreted as a major revulsion of psychological behaviourism as essential by B. F. Skinner and John Watson. Behaviorism states that behavior is a unceasing learning process rewardd by reward systems. It also states that record is nothing but a reflection of behavior, since the latter defines the former. In the movie, on that point were several attempts to reject the idea of behaviorism. Here are as follows 1) At some point in the movie, Alex and his friends es put forward to use narcotic mix milk in order to improve their violence instinct2) Alex informal violence in the movie was deliberate and out of consciousness. It was the case when Alex wound the cat lady after a sexual orgasm 3) When Alex was in jail, he developed the so-called Ludovico proficiency, a method of rehabilitating criminals. When the minister of the interior requested the jail for potential candidates for the treatment, Alex volunteered. During the treatment, he cons ciously attempted to stop it by showing that the treatment already cured him (in fact, he knew the loopholes of the treatment) 4) And, after some psychological tests in the prison, he know that he was never criminally repulsive.He began to like Beethovens 9th Symphony. Alex realized that he has no aversion with the music. In fact, he realized that the treatment itself never changed his behavioral outlook, since it was deliberate. The Ludovico proficiency is a method which uses operant conditioning (which was implied in the movie) (reinforcer). The purpose of the technique was to put the patient in a condition to which he/she has aversion. In this way, the patient would avoid much(prenominal) circumstance. A repeated application of the technique to the same patient would consequently be therapeutic.The main character though has a means to reinforce his violent behavior ( reenforcement). Alex knew the problems of his technique and constructed loopholes to avoid it. In a sense, Ale x became the radical reinforcer. He controlled the patterns of his own behavior by systematic analysis of the consequences of his behavior. Moreover, Alex knew that the Ludovico technique would never alter his actions precisely because he reinforced his own behavior. Now, what is the opportunity that Alex criminal behavior whitethorn occur again after reinforcement? The answer lies on the concept of operant response.In the case of Alex, the chance is close to 1. Alex knew that the technique would never change his behavior. In fact, he created the technique in order to retain his behavior. Moreover, because the technique proved ineffective in Alexs case, then one may assume that Alexs behavior did not really change. His response to the technique was deliberate and orchestrated. It is possible to say that the Ludovico technique failed to change Alexs behavior because of faulty time interval schedules. musical interval schedules require a minimum period of time that must catch bet ween consecutive reinforced responses.The interval should neither be overly short nor too long. If the interval is short, then the patient may turn over entrenched with his/her behavior (nothing forget change). If the interval is long, then the patient will be used to the technique (and therefore can possibly abide the technique). In the case of Alex, the interval schedule is close to short. It is possible that Alex may have been entrenched in his violent behavior because of the short interval schedule. Reference A Clockwork Orange. 1971. Directed by Stanley Kubrick.