...B.F. Skinner believed the most effective way to understand behavior is to look at the causes of action and its consequences; this is what he called operant conditioning. Skinner thought it would be more beneficial to study observable behavior as opposed to internal events such as thinking and emotion. His work is based off of Edward Thordike’s Law and Effect theory, which he renamed as Reinforcement. It was Skinner’s findings that behavior that was reinforced tends to be strengthened and repeated opposed to behavior that is not reinforced tends to be weakened and extinguished. Skinner studied this behavior by conducting experiments using animals, such as lab rats, which he placed in what he called a “Skinner Box.” B.F. Skinner came up with...
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...Management in Human and Social Development - MGMT 8010 June 28, 2014 Understanding Burrhus Frederic Skinner B. F. Skinner was one of the most influential of American psychologists. A radical behaviorist, he developed the theory of operant conditioning, the idea that behavior is determined by its consequences, be they reinforcements or punishments, which make it more or unlikely that the behavior will be repeated again, (NNDB, 2014). His principles are still incorporated within treatments of phobias, addictive behaviors, and in the enhancement of classroom performance as well as in computer-based self-instruction, (NNDB, 2014). Skinner believed that the only scientific approach to psychology was one that studied behaviors, not internal (subjective) mental processes, (NNDB, 2014). He denied the existence of a mind as a thing separate from the body, but he did not deny the existence of thoughts, which he regarded simply as private behaviors to be analyzed according to the same principle as publicly observed behaviors, (NNDB, 2014). According to Michael (2013) Burrhus Frederic Skinner is very famous for developing his own philosophical studies around animal and human behavior. Once I had realized that this Theorist had caught my attention, I really became very excited about this research project so I started finding information about the man called B.F. Skinner, (NNDB, 2014). I am not sure if you’ve heard of him before but he is one of the most famous psychologists...
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...Theorists such as B. F. Skinner believe that people are essentially reactive and are shaped by their environment. Whereas theorists such as Albert Bandura believe individuals have a certain degree of power over their own lives. Bandura seems more open minded than Skinner and for that reason I lean more towards Bandura’s approach, although I don’t think one can exist without the other. I agree with Skinner there are many things beyond our control and we are forced to react to them but I’d also like to believe we have control over how we react. That’s where Bandura comes in when he says we have a certain degree of power. “...people construct and are constructed by social systems. Both producers and products of their environment, people have...capacities...
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...Madeline Clausell ABA "The consequences of behavior determine the probability that the behavior will occur again" --B. F. Skinner. B. F. Skinner was born March 20, 1904. B.F. Skinner described his Pennsylvania childhood as "warm and stable." As a boy, he enjoyed building and inventing things; a skill he would later use in his own psychological experiments. Skinner married Yvonne Blue in 1936, and the couple went on to have two daughters, Julie and Deborah. Burrhus Frederic (B.F.) Skinner majored in literature at Hamilton College in New York. He went to New York City in the late 1920s to become a writer, but he wasn't very successful. So he decided to go back to school, and went to Harvard to study psychology, since he had always enjoyed observing animal and human behavior. For the most part, the psychology department there was immersed in introspective psychology, and Skinner found himself more and more a behaviorist. He worked in the lab of an experimental biologist, however, and developed behavioral studies of rats. He had always been a tinkerer, and loved building Rube Goldberg contraptions as a kid; he put that skill to use by designing boxes to automatically reward behavior, such as depressing a lever, pushing a button, and so on. His devices were such an improvement on the existing equipment; they've come to be known as Skinner boxes. Skinner received his PhD in 1931. In 1936 he took an academic position at the University of Minnesota where he wrote The Behavior of Organisms...
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...B. F. Skinner Burrhus Frederic (B. F.) Skinner (March 20, 1904 – August 18, 1990) was an American psychologist, behaviorist, author, inventor, and social philosopher.[1][2][3][4] He was the Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University from 1958 until his retirement in 1974.[5] Skinner believed that human free will is an illusion and that any human action is the result of the consequences of the same action. If the consequences are bad, there is a high chance that the action will not be repeated; however if the consequences are good, the actions that led to it will become more probable.[6] Skinner called this the principle of reinforcement.[7] The use of reinforcement to strengthen behavior he called operant conditioning. As his main tool for studying operant conditioning Skinner The Skinners’ grave at Mount Auburn Cemetery invented the operant conditioning chamber, also known as the Skinner Box.[8] Skinner developed his own philosophy of science called radical behaviorism,[9] and founded a school of experimental research psychology—the experimental analysis of behavior. His analysis of human behavior culminated in his work Verbal Behavior, as well as his philosophical manifesto Walden Two, both of which still stimulate considerable experimental research and clinical application.[10] Contemporary academia considers Skinner a pioneer of modern behaviorism along with John B. Watson and Ivan Pavlov. Skinner emphasized rate of response as a dependent variable in psychological...
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...Olsen & Hergenhahn, 2009 list 24 major theoretical concepts associated with Burrhus Frederic Skinner. Among these theoretical concepts, radical behaviorism, shaping, extinction, chaining, punishment, verbal behavior, and his learning theory are paramount. In addition to these theoretical concepts, Skinner’s respondent and operant behavior, type s and type r conditioning, as well as the cumulative recording and contingency contracting cannot be ignored. However, the primary focus of this slide is a succinct review of the 12 fundamentals of Skinner’s behaviorism as notated in Team B annotated bibliography from week 2. In that regard, Delprato & Midgley state, “Behaviorism’s impact on disciplines inside and outside of psychology is exemplified by the prominence of its leading advocate B. F. Skinner” (p. 1507). The essential points Delprato & Midgley revealed regarding Skinner’s behaviorism are the purpose of science, methodology, determinism, locus of behavioral control, consequential causality, materialism, behavior as subject matter, reductionism, non-reductionism, organism as the locus of biological change, classification of behavior into respondent and operant stimulus control of operant behavior, and the generality of behavioral principles. According to Delprato & Midgley, 1992 the purpose of science is to predict and control behavior of organism. To that end, experimentation, the use of scientific research, and technological application is vital in accessing...
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...conditioning is the prudent method to use to reach such goals. B. F. Skinner, the behaviorist that came up with the operant conditioning theory, began the innovative experiments that led to the detection of the effects of positive and negative reinforcements. These two methods are effective tools that alter behavior in any home, school, or social environment that a person could manifest unpredictable behavior. The schedule of reinforcement is also a vital component of the learning process, which maintains positive behavior and a constant rate of response. The theory of operant conditioning Operant conditioning is an acclimatizing method of learning in which an individual’s behavior modifies by the use of positive or negative reinforcement. Therefore, the individual’s behavior changes in use, regularity, and strength. Operant conditioning came to be notable from classical conditioning; entails the conditioning of reflex behaviors, which stimulates by the manifestations of precursor conditions. The difference between the two is that classical conditioning does not uphold its method by the use of reinforcement. Alternatively, operant conditioning uses reinforcement to modify voluntary behavior. American psychologist Burrhus Frederic Skinner, mostly known by B. F. Skinner, was the first to revolutionize the term “operant conditioning.” Skinner develops his theory by creating the operant conditioning box or Skinner box, which he uses in the experimental analysis of behavior....
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...B. F. Skinner An Inspiration in Psychology Kimberly Whitmore PSY3421, Psychology of Learning and Motivation Abstract Burrhus Fredrick Skinner, a son, literary writer, husband, father and most important an inspiration in the psychology world. B.F. Skinner born March 20, 1904, in a small railroad town in Pennsylvania, was a creative child who liked to think out side the box. Skinner was a behaviorist, which means he seeks out the explanation to human behavior not in the mind but outside within the environment that collectively determines behavior. In the opinion of his professional peers, he was the most influential psychologist in the country. Over his career in Psychology, Skinner also faced criticisms, especially when it came to the Air Crib. Skinner was a revolution to the times in psychology, with his research, his workings with the military, experiments on dogs, pigeons and rodents to his observational findings. His philosophies of behaviorism still play a major part in the psychology world today. Skinner is the most important American psychologist of the twentieth century, and arguably the most important world psychologist. No issue seemed too large or too small for his observant eye and his analytic insights. 1. A Skinner Family Background. 2. How did Skinner make his way in to Psychology? 3. What is the cumulative recorder? 4. What is the operant conditioning chamber; also know as Skinner’s Box? 5. What is operant behavior? 6. The Air...
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...Burrhus Frederic (B. F.) Skinner was born on March 20th 1904 to a lawyer father and housewife mother. As a young student Skinner’s ambitions were in the field of writing. Psychology wasn’t of interest for Skinner until after his graduation from Hamilton College. At age 24 Skinner enrolled at Harvard University in the Psychology department. It was during his time at Harvard that Skinner first created his operant behavior model. In 1936 Skinner married Yvonne Blue and started his first teaching job at the University of Minnesota. Skinner had two daughters with Yvonne and moved two more times for teaching jobs over the next 10 years. His next move was to Indiana to become Chair of the Psychology Department Indiana University. In 1947 he was invited to teach at Harvard and accepted a position to start teaching in 1948. Skinner remained at Harvard until his death in 1990. During his career B. F. Skinner published close to 200 articles and more than 20 books (Cherry, n.d). He has won numerous awards for his work and was voted the most influential psychologist of the 20th century. Clearly B.F. Skinner was an outstanding individual in the world of psychology, even though it was not his first career choice. Skinner originally went to school to become an author and that was his first love. I suppose the world of psychology is grateful for his initial failure in literature. Unlike most, before his time, in the field of psychology Skinner was a behaviorist first and foremost. It is my...
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...the past decade have helped form the foundation of knowledge. In this paper, this writer will compare two of the most talented theorists of the time. Abraham Maslow and B.F. Skinner are just two of the many theorists that have formed the organization in today’s classrooms. This paper will address the differences in the theories and the similarities. It will describe how each theory can be implemented in the learning environment of an early childhood classroom. Lastly, it will describe each theory that will be compared supported by research. Comparison of two Theories Operant Behavior Conditioning of Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904-1990) BF Skinner renowned for his theory of Operant Behavior (Maslow and Skinner: n.d.). He is known for, his leadership in the field behavior modification through conditioning. This states that behavior is affected by the consequence that follows the behavior. This is a practice teachers, utilize in the classrooms every day as part of the classroom management process: if the behavior of the child or children is unacceptable, the consequence will not be favorable. If the behavior is positive, the consequences will also be positive. Really, Skinner's theory states that good behavior is reinforced while bad behavior is reprimanded (Maslow and Skinner, n.d.). Ultimately, Skinner believed that in order to change behavior there had to be a positive stimulus to reinforce that behavior. Added onto this is the theory of Operant Conditioning. This states...
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...B. F Skinner Burrhus Frederic Skinner was best known as BF Skinner, American behaviorist, author, inventor, social philosopher and poet. He discovered and advanced the rate of response as a dependent variable in psychologist. He invented the cumulative recorder to measure the rate of response as part of his influential work on schedule of reinforcement. While F.B Skinner was at the University Of Minnesota he invented the operant conditioning chamber to measure the responses of organisms and their orderly interactions with the environment useful devices like the cumulative recorder, even in his old age he invented a thinking aid to help with writing. Skinner showed the positive reinforcement by placing a hungry rat in the Skinner box. This box contained a lever with food as the rat moved inside the box the lever would drop the food to a container next to it. The consequence was that the rat would repeat the behavior again and again. A good example to picture this would be thinking of a daily basis situation every time you do something good you get a reward, so then the same action becomes a daily thing so you can get rewarded more often. The negative side is that if one day you don’t do the right thing then you won’t get reward and then the habit might be broken. The opposite of reinforcement is punishment this can also work directly by doing something unpleasant stimulus. For example if the children don’t behave then they get put in time out and...
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...Comparison of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs With Skinner’s Behaviorist Theory |Issue |Maslow |Skinner | |Define Motivation |Motivation arises from the desire to satisfy the |Motivation stems from the way behavior is rewarded- | | |basic needs, defined by Maslow as a hierarchy, moving|good behavior rewarded, bad behavior reprimanded | | |from physiological to self-actualization. | | |How Motivation Changes |Moves from basic to more advanced, from emotional |Work from simple to complex steps; | |For Elementary Versus |needs to more intellectual needs, the ability to |performance/feedback motivation and actualization | |Secondary Students |capture concepts that are more detailed, less static,|changes; amount of reward changes; kind and quality | | |and to analyze problems that have open-ended answers |of reward changes | |Similarities |Set of needs must be met, and to move to next level |Behavior affected by consequences; theory of operant | |/Differences |reward occurs; melding of layers of needs; primary |conditioning always manipulation of | | |human focus is establishing inner needs...
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...“Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten” -B.F. Skinner Behaviorism is described as a developmental theory that measures observable behaviors produced by a learner’s response to stimuli. Responses to stimuli can be reinforced with positive or negative feedback to condition desired behaviors. Punishment is sometimes used in eliminating or reducing incorrect actions, followed by clarifying desired actions. Educational effects of behaviorism are key in developing basic skills and foundations of understanding in all subject areas and in classroom management. According to behaviorism, knowing is giving the correct response when exposed to a particular stimulus. The behaviorist is not concerned with how or why knowledge is obtained, but rather if the correct response is given. Yu Ching Chen’s web site on behaviorism states that, “Learning is defined as nothing more than the acquisition of new behavior”. In terms of the concept of learning, the process tends to be passive with regard to the behaviorist theory. The learner uses low level processing skills to understand material and the material is often isolated from real-world contexts or situations. Little responsibility is placed on the learner concerning his/her own education. Typical classroom instruction consistent with the behaviorist theory includes; classroom management, rote memorization, and drill and practice. Several examples of behaviorism used in classroom management...
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...B. F Skinner Burrhus Frederic Skinner was best known as BF Skinner, American behaviorist, author, inventor, social philosopher and poet. He discovered and advanced the rate of response as a dependent variable in psychologist. He invented the cumulative recorder to measure the rate of response as part of his influential work on schedule of reinforcement. While F.B Skinner was at the University Of Minnesota he invented the operant conditioning chamber to measure the responses of organisms and their orderly interactions with the environment useful devices like the cumulative recorder, even in his old age he invented a thinking aid to help with writing. Skinner showed the positive reinforcement by placing a hungry rat in the Skinner box. This box contained a lever with food as the rat moved inside the box the lever would drop the food to a container next to it. The consequence was that the rat would repeat the behavior again and again. A good example to picture this would be thinking of a daily basis situation every time you do something good you get a reward, so then the same action becomes a daily thing so you can get rewarded more often. The negative side is that if one day you don’t do the right thing then you won’t get reward and then the habit might be broken. The opposite of reinforcement is punishment this can also work directly by doing something unpleasant stimulus. For example if the children don’t behave then they get put in time out and...
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...P1 Psychology is the study of behaviour and mental processes. The aim of psychology is to understand the way the human brain processes information in different environments. Psychology has different approaches and perspectives which are particularly used to view a human’s way of thinking, feeling and the ways in which they behave. There are five different perspectives that have been observed and studied by well-known psychologist these are; the cognitive approach, behaviourist approach, biological approach, humanistic approach and the psychological approach. The cognitive approach is the way the human mind retains, stores and processes information to solve a problem they are faced with in their day to day lives. The different processes that need to happen in order to solve a problem are; Perception, attention, memory and problem solving. Perception is the way we view a situation by using and having our own opinions. By having gained an opinion into the situation at hand, this will allow your brain to move into the next cognitive stage which is attention. Attention is the brain understanding the information that has been given by the environment and gaining a further insight into becoming an outcome of the situation, but before that you will need your brain to tap into the long term memory stores, which then leads into the third stage of the cognitive approach theory. The memory stage compares the current information given by the environment to the old information that’s...
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