If I Killed Someone For You (by Alec Benjamin) ~Ashlyn Scism

 “Potta! Oi Potter is it true you fainted? I mean you actually fainted?” Draco Malloy at some point.

Yes, I am going to be discussing our favorite blond ferret-boy today but first I gotta address the topic at hand: Behaviorism. Skinner covered and identified behaviorism so I will not waste time defining it here. The character Draco Malloy from The Harry Potter series is an excellent example of behaviorism. From the moment of his birth, Draco grew up being influenced by his family. His parents were involved in a terrorist group of wizards who hated any non-pure blood wizard. So growing up Draco was taught that purebloods were superior to all other magic users/non-magic users. When he was old enough, Draco was sent to Hogwarts where he was surrounded by other children who had been taught similar values/prejudices. Throughout the school year, Draco was able to get away with teasing and tormenting others. When he went home he was praised for these behaviors. This encouraged him to continue being a bully. When he was in his fourth/fifth year his parents began pressuring him to join the terrorist group. Due to his conditioning, Draco believed that he had to earn his parents' respect and love. So he did as he was told. 

So were his actions truly his fault or were they the product of bad conditioning? Draco never had a chance to choose the other side— in his mind. If he were to side with Harry he would risk losing his friends, his Father’s respect, and possibly his parents’ love. So if you had had his upbringing what would you have done? Would you have chosen the dangerous side next to your family or would you reject every prejudice, your family’s beliefs, and all the conditioning you were raised with and join the other side?

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