B.F. Skinner: Walden II

Here is my attempted English back-translation of an excerpt from the 1948 novel "Walden Two" by B. F. Skinner published by Rowohlt in 1985.   

The discomfort we systematically create is far milder than the ordinary discomfort we seek to avoid. The discomfort that a well-trained child experiences even during the height of his ethical training is ridiculously trivial. First of all, we don't want to punish children. Neither we don't use something unpleasant to suppress or eradicate undesirable behaviours. Instead, it is prefer to guide the child. Does he behave as we desire, then we provide him something he likes or we remove a situation he doesn't like. As a result we increase the probability that the child behaves as we expect. Now we know how the positive reinforcement works. We can now proceed with clear intent and long-term goals with our scientific approach to modify behaviours.

We can exercise a kind of control where the supervised feel free although they obey a behavioural code which is more restricted than ever before. The greatest achievement with the positive reinforcement is when children feel free to do what they want without knowing that they are responding according to an ethical training programme. That is the tremendous power of positive reinforcement. There is no resistance or revolt. We shape through a careful and well-developed behavioural programme not only the final behaviour, but also the preconditions, that is to say, their motives, desires and tendencies.