1970s congressional scrutiny drove behavior modification out of civilian institutions

Evidence

In anticipation of future gamification techniques as means of behavioral modification, the subcommittee report also noted with apprehension more “benign” approaches that relied on “positive reinforcement,” from “gold-star incentives” to elaborate reward systems, in order “to restructure personality through artificially applied techniques.” … The subcommittee’s work had enduring consequences. Not only did prisoners’ and patients’ rights groups gain momentum in their efforts to end the behavioral oppression suffered in public institutions, but psychologists also began to discuss the need to professionalize their discipline with clear ethical standards, accreditation procedures, training programs, and career ladders. The National Research Act, passed in 1974, stipulated the creation of institutional review boards and laid the foundation for the evolution and institutionalization of the Common Rule for the ethical treatment of human subjects, from which Facebook famously held itself exempt. — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 1020

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the Common Rule / IRB lineage that GDPR and platform regulation echo; and to the ‘behavior prediction’ concerns that foreshadow surveillance capitalism’s predictive products. — connects to: Mass behavior modification was denounced decades ago but now passes with little resistance — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 70; Behavior modification resurfaced as a market project after state versions were rejected — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 1024; Behavior is regulated by legal, social, and self-evaluative sanctions (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Mass behavior modification was denounced decades ago but now passes with little resistance #qualifies (0.82) — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 70
• Behavior modification resurfaced as a market project after state versions were rejected #expands (0.80) — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 1024
• American public rejected behaviorism’s claims over individual freedom #complicates (0.80) — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 1022
• Behavior is regulated by legal, social, and self-evaluative sanctions #corroborates (0.72)