B.F. Skinner: The Life of Psychology's Radical Behaviorist

Overview

• B.F. Skinner (1904-1990): Influential American psychologist and proponent of radical behaviorism.
• Key Idea: Human actions are results of conditioning, not free will.
• Influence: Dominated early 20th century behaviorism, impacting education, psychotherapy, early learning, and more.

Contributions to Psychology

• Operant Conditioning: Skinner's theory of learning based on reinforcement.
• Schedules of Reinforcement: Detailed how and when behaviors are reinforced.
• Response Rates: Introduced as a dependent variable in experiments.
• Cumulative Recorder: Developed to track response rates in studies.

Operant Conditioning

• Definition: Behaviors are shaped by reinforcements (positive or negative).
• Operant vs. Respondent Behaviors: Operant behaviors are actions controlling the environment, unlike automatic respondent behaviors.
• ABCs of Behaviorism: Antecedent (stimulus), Behavior (response), Consequence (reinforcement).

Reinforcement

• Positive Reinforcement: Adding a stimulus (e.g., rewards) to strengthen behavior.
• Negative Reinforcement: Removing an adverse stimulus to strengthen behavior.

Schedules of Reinforcement

• Fixed-Ratio: Reinforcement after a set number of responses.
• Variable-Ratio: Reinforcement after unpredictable number of responses.
• Fixed-Interval: Reinforcement after a set time period.
• Variable-Interval: Reinforcement after unpredictable time periods.

Punishment

• Role: Decreases specific behavior through adverse outcomes.
• Positive Punishment: Adding a negative consequence (e.g., spanking).
• Negative Punishment: Removing a positive stimulus (e.g., taking away a toy).

Inventions

• Skinner Box: Apparatus for studying operant conditioning in animals.
• Cumulative Recorder: Tracked responses, showing reinforcement schedules.
• Baby Tender: Heated crib designed for safer infant care.
• Teaching Machine: Provided immediate feedback to students, a precursor to modern programmed instruction.

Biography

• Early Life: Born in Pennsylvania; originally pursued writing before transitioning to psychology.
• Education: BA in English, PhD from Harvard in psychology.
• Project Pigeon: WWII project training pigeons for missile guidance, later shelved.

Later Career

• Academic Positions: Held roles at University of Minnesota, Indiana, and Harvard.
• Literary Works: "Walden Two" explored a utopian society; "Beyond Freedom and Dignity" stirred controversy.

Awards and Recognitions

• Thorndike Award, National Medal of Science, Gold Medal of American Psychological Foundation, among others.

Publications

• Nearly 200 articles and over 20 books, significant in experimental psychology.
• Notable works include "Beyond Freedom and Dignity" and "The Technology of Teaching."

Takeaways

• Skinner's work laid the foundation for behaviorism and continues to influence fields like education and therapy.
• Operant conditioning remains a cornerstone in understanding and shaping behavior.