This paper examines the 1983 film Educating Rita as an illustration of adult learning principles and B.F. Skinner's theory of operant conditioning. It begins by outlining key principles of adult education — including autonomy, goal orientation, and the role of life experience — before summarizing Skinner's foundational work on reinforcement and operant behavior. The paper then analyzes how the film's protagonist, Rita, exemplifies these concepts as she pursues a university education in English Literature. Her motivation, driven by desired outcomes such as self-discovery and social mobility, is interpreted through a Skinnerian framework, while obstacles including class background and family expectations are also considered.
The paper demonstrates applied theoretical analysis: it introduces an abstract framework (Skinner's reinforcement theory and adult learning principles), summarizes a cultural text (the film), and then maps the framework onto specific character behaviors and motivations. This move — from theory to text to interpretation — is a foundational technique in humanities and social science writing.
The paper opens with a list of adult learning principles to establish context, then introduces Skinner's theory with a supporting quotation. It provides a brief plot summary of the film before moving into analysis, connecting Rita's motivations and obstacles to Skinnerian concepts. It closes with a short conclusion that frames Rita's educational achievement as liberation. This classic setup-context-analysis-conclusion structure makes the argument accessible and methodical.
Learning is said to be lifelong, which is why it is no wonder that we see adults learning all around us — at work, in school, and even in social settings. Adult learning in a university setting, however, follows certain processes that educators describe in several stages, particularly with regard to motivation. According to Lieb's Principles of Adult Learning, these include the following key characteristics:
Adults are autonomous and self-directed. Adults have accumulated a foundation of life experiences and knowledge that may include work-related activities, family responsibilities, and previous education. Adults are goal-oriented. Adults are relevancy-oriented. Adults are practical, focusing on the aspects of a lesson most useful to them in their work. And, as with all learners, adults need to be shown respect.
These principles of adult education are very important, as many expect them to be inherently followed — and when they are, learning tends to be fruitful. This paper examines the film Educating Rita through the lens of B.F. Skinner's behavioral theory. To do so, it first summarizes Skinner's core beliefs and the plot of the film, then offers a brief analysis linking the two.
Skinner's basic belief was that reinforcement mechanisms can strengthen or deter a behavior. This idea originated with what is known as his rat experiment, as described in a short biography published by the B.F. Skinner Foundation:
"Skinner invented the cumulative recorder [...] This recorder revealed the impact of the contingencies over responding. Skinner discovered that the rate with which the rat pressed the bar depended not on any preceding stimulus (as Watson and Pavlov had insisted), but on what followed the bar presses [...] Unlike the reflexes that Pavlov had studied, this kind of behavior operated on the environment and was controlled by its effects. Skinner named it operant behavior. The process of arranging the contingencies of reinforcement responsible for producing this new kind of behavior he called operant conditioning." (Vargas, 2005)
This framework is essential for understanding how operant conditioning applies to human motivation — including the drive to pursue education later in life.
In Educating Rita, Susan — who calls herself Rita — is a woman dissatisfied with the routine of her existing life. She seeks to improve her situation by enrolling in a university course in English Literature. Both teacher and student are affected and ultimately changed by their interaction. As Bramann's review of the film notes, "Educating Rita describes the trials and transformations that the young hairdresser has to go through to develop from a person with hardly any formal schooling at all into a student who passes her university exams with ease and distinction. In the course of telling this story, the film also suggests what the ultimate purpose of a liberal education may be."
Given the analysis of Skinner's beliefs and Rita's actual development in the film, it is clear that this character exemplifies adult learning. Her learning occurs through several stages and, as Skinner's theory would predict, it is motivated by outcomes. The possibility of a different life from the one she currently experiences serves as her greatest motivator. According to Bramann's review, Rita desires the "clever speech of academics, the culture and tastes of the upper classes, and an escape from the trivia of down-to-earth life into a realm of ideas that seem more significant than the preoccupations of ordinary people."
Because of this, Rita consistently strives to learn, motivated by the outcome of becoming an individual who has, in her own words, "discovered herself." Skinner would agree that Rita is driven by her own wants and needs, which she expresses repeatedly throughout the film and which become very apparent to her tutor as well.
In the end of the film, the viewer sees that education, for Rita, is a form of liberation — though this comes at a price, as knowledge often does. Nevertheless, the character has successfully accomplished her goal, and she is very proud of that achievement.
References
Lieb, S. (1991). "Principles of Adult Learning." VISION. Retrieved July 21, 2011, from
Vargas, J. (2005). "About B.F. Skinner." B.F. Skinner Foundation. Retrieved July 21, 2011, from
Bramann, J. (2011). "Educating Rita." Frostburg.edu. Retrieved July 21, 2011, from
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