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Walden Two
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Walden Two Walden Two, written by Burrhus Frederic Skinner, explains how a better way of life can be achieved through behavioral engineering. The founder of Walden Two, T. E. Frazier, is a man who believes that through experimentation and manipulation of child development that even the most fundamental actions and behaviors can be changed. Upon the arrival of his guests Frazier explains in great detail the ideas and practices used in Walden Two. While touring the community his guests learn how the new born children are raised and educated, and how by increasing efficiency the number of hours worked can be drastically reduced. The children that are born into Walden Two receive a much different childhood than the average child. To begin with, instead of parents showing only special care and attention to their own children they are expected to treat all of the children at Walden Two as their own. This allows people who would normally be unable to have children to still participate in the development and success of further generation at Walden Two. Since the children are raised by multiply parent figures if allows the child to be exposed to a variety of different personalities and increases the social ties between members of the community. From the time of birth until the age of one the children are kept in a very controlled atmosphere. The air temperature is kept at a consistent eighty-eight to ninety degrees and there is no clothing or bedding to make the child uncomfortable. From the ages of one to three the children are still kept in a controlled environment but minimal clothing and bedding are introduced. Also at this age the behavioral engineering begins. One of the earliest lessons taught is self control. In order to teach self control the children are given lollipops but unable to eat them until a later time. During this time the games and other activities are played in order to take the child’s mind off of the lollipop. Once the children learn that instant gratification is not always the best solution they are allowed to indulge. But before they do they are asked to “examine their own behavior while… noticing any gain in happiness or any reduction in tension” (Skinner, 1976, p. 98). Along with learning self control the children are also taught to not be envious or jealous.
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