B. F. Skinner (1904-1990) Skinner’s life and his understanding of life Predetermined, lawful, and orderly A product of past reinforcements 1925: Hamilton College (NY): degree in English, no courses in psychology Read about Pavlov’s and Watson’s experimental work 1931: Ph.D. from Harvard B. F. Skinner Dissertation: a reflex is a correlation between S and R 1938: The Behavior of Organisms 1953: Science and Human Behavior 1990: Vigorously attacked the growth of cognitive psychology 1990 (final article): "Can Psychology Be a Science of Mind?"

1. BehaviorismBehaviorism
B. F. SkinnerB. F. Skinner
PriyapatrickPriyapatrick

2. B.F.B.F.
SkinnerSkinner
(1904-(1904-
1990)1990)

3. B. F. Skinner
(1904-1990)
Skinner’s life and his understanding of life
Predetermined, lawful, and orderly
A product of past reinforcements
1925: Hamilton College (NY): degree in English, no
courses in psychology
Read about Pavlov’s and Watson’s experimental work
1931: Ph.D. from Harvard

4. B. F. Skinner
Dissertation: a reflex is a correlation between
S and R
1938: The Behavior of Organisms
1953: Science and Human Behavior
1990: Vigorously attacked the growth of cognitive
psychology
1990 (final article): "Can Psychology Be a Science
of Mind?"

5. B. F. Skinner
Dealt only with observable behavior
The task of scientific inquiry:
To establish functional relationships between
experimenter-controlled stimulus and organism’s
response
No presumptions about internal entities - The "empty
organism" approach

6. B. F. Skinner
Single subject design
• Large numbers of subjects not necessary
• Statistical comparisons of group means not
necessary
• A single subject provides valid and replicable
results
• Requires "sufficient" data collected under
well-controlled experimental conditions
• Statistics obscure individual responses and
differences

7. PavlovPavlov’’s dogs dog

8. Classical conditioning
Watson, Pavlov - Respondent behavior: elicited by
specific observable stimulus

9. Skinner’s Rat

10. B. F. Skinner
Operant behavior: occurs
without an observable external
stimulus
Operates on the organism’s
environment
The behavior is instrumental in
securing a stimulus more
representative of everyday
learning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl7jr9EVcjI&NR=1

11. B. F. Skinner
Science of behavior: Study of conditioning and
extinction of operants
Dependent variable in the "Skinner box": rate of
response
Law of acquisition
key variable: reinforcement
practice provides opportunities for
additional reinforcement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ctJqjlrHA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYq5StqD744&feature=related

12. Pigeon Guided MissilePigeon Guided Missile
 The US Navy required a weapon effective against the GermanThe US Navy required a weapon effective against the German
battleships.battleships.
 The size of the primitive guidance systems available renderedThe size of the primitive guidance systems available rendered
any weapon ineffective.any weapon ineffective.
 Pigeon was potentially an extremely simple and effectivePigeon was potentially an extremely simple and effective
solutionsolution
 The project centered around dividing the nose cone of a missileThe project centered around dividing the nose cone of a missile
into three compartments, and encasing a pigeon in each.into three compartments, and encasing a pigeon in each.
 The compartments for each had a video image of what was inThe compartments for each had a video image of what was in
front of them, and the pigeons would peck toward the object,front of them, and the pigeons would peck toward the object,
thereby directing the missile.thereby directing the missile.
 Skinner:"our problem was no one would take us seriously.Skinner:"our problem was no one would take us seriously.““ FewFew
people would trust a pigeon to guide a missile no matter howpeople would trust a pigeon to guide a missile no matter how
reliable it proved.reliable it proved.

14. SkinnerSkinner’’s Theorys Theory
““All we need to know in order toAll we need to know in order to
describe and explain behavior is this:describe and explain behavior is this:
actions followed by good outcomesactions followed by good outcomes
are likely to recur , and actionsare likely to recur , and actions
followed by bad outcomes are lessfollowed by bad outcomes are less
likely to recur.likely to recur.”” (Skinner, 1953)(Skinner, 1953)

15. Central Human MotiveCentral Human Motive
in Skinnerin Skinner’’s Theorys Theory
Environmental consequencesEnvironmental consequences
shape behaviorshape behavior

16. LAW OF EFFECTLAW OF EFFECT
BehaviorBehavior Better stateBetter state IncreasedIncreased
of affairsof affairs probability ofprobability of
behavior occurringbehavior occurring
againagain
BehaviorBehavior Worse stateWorse state DecreasedDecreased
of affairsof affairs probability ofprobability of
behavior occurringbehavior occurring
againagain
Behavior ABehavior A
Behavior BBehavior B
Behavior CBehavior C Better stateBetter state Behavior CBehavior C
Behavior DBehavior D of affairsof affairs emerges as theemerges as the
Behavior EBehavior E most probablemost probable

17. OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUESOPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES
 POSITIVE REINFORCEMENTPOSITIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing a= increasing a
behavior by administering a rewardbehavior by administering a reward
 NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENTNEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT = increasing= increasing
a behavior by removing an aversive stimulusa behavior by removing an aversive stimulus
when a behavior occurswhen a behavior occurs
 PUNISHMENTPUNISHMENT = decreasing a behavior by= decreasing a behavior by
administering an aversive stimulus following aadministering an aversive stimulus following a
behavior OR by removing a positive stimulusbehavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
 EXTINCTIONEXTINCTION = decreasing a behavior by not= decreasing a behavior by not
rewarding itrewarding it

18. B. F. Skinner
Research foci
Role of punishment in response acquisition
Schedules of reinforcement
Extinction of operants
Secondary reinforcement
Generalization
Subjects included humans as well as animals

19. B. F. Skinner
Schedules of reinforcement
Reinforcement is necessary in operant behavior
Reinforcement schedules
continuous
fixed and variable
ratio and interval

20. SCHEDULES OFSCHEDULES OF
REINFORCEMENTREINFORCEMENT
 Interval schedulesInterval schedules: reinforcement occurs after a: reinforcement occurs after a
certain amount of time has passedcertain amount of time has passed
 Fixed IntervalFixed Interval = reinforcement is presented after a= reinforcement is presented after a
fixed amount of timefixed amount of time
 Variable IntervalVariable Interval = reinforcement is delivered on a= reinforcement is delivered on a
random/variable time schedulerandom/variable time schedule
 Ratio schedulesRatio schedules: reinforcement occurs after a: reinforcement occurs after a
certain number of responsescertain number of responses
 Fixed RatioFixed Ratio = reinforcement presented after a fixed #= reinforcement presented after a fixed #
of responsesof responses
 Variable RatioVariable Ratio = reinforcement delivery is variable but= reinforcement delivery is variable but
based on an overall average # of responsesbased on an overall average # of responses

21. LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENTLIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT
 Punishment does not teach appropriatePunishment does not teach appropriate
behaviorsbehaviors
 Must be delivered immediately & consistentlyMust be delivered immediately & consistently
 May result in negative side effectsMay result in negative side effects
 Undesirable behaviors may be learnedUndesirable behaviors may be learned
through modeling (aggression)through modeling (aggression)
 May create negative emotions (anxiety &May create negative emotions (anxiety &
fear)fear)

24. B. F. Skinner
Criticisms of Skinner’s behaviorism
His extreme positivism
His opposition to theory
His willingness to extrapolate beyond the data
The narrow range of behavior studied
Problem of instinctive drift
His position on verbal behavior

25. B. F. Skinner
Contributions of Skinner’s behaviorism
Shaped American psychology for 30 years
His goal: the improvement of society
Stength and ramifications of his radical behaviorism

26. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm5FGrQEyBY