B. F. Skinner

(proper noun)

(1904–1990) An American psychologist, behaviorist, author, inventor, and social philosopher known for his work on operant conditioning.

Related Terms

Examples of B. F. Skinner in the following topics:

  • Basic Principles of Operant Conditioning: Skinner

    • B.
    • F.
    • Thorndike in the late 1800s, then brought to popularity by B.
    • F.
    • Skinner in the mid-1900s.

  • Four Theories of Leadership

    • Behavioral theory also incorporates B.F.
    • Skinner's theory of behavior modification, which takes into account the effect of reward and punishment on changing behavior.

  • Knowledge Management and Behavior Modification

    • In psychology, behavioral modification was made popular by B.
    • F.
    • Skinner, who analyzed the triggers and rewards for certain behaviors in a series of experiments with animals.
    • B.F.
    • Skinner introduced the study of behavior modification, focusing on how animals and humans react to reward and punishment.

  • Basic Principles of Operant Conditioning

    • Thorndike in the late 1800's, then brought to popularity by B.F.
    • Skinner in the mid-1900's.
    • Thorndike's initial research was highly influential on another psychologist, B.F.
    • Skinner.
    • Skinner used this basic principle to study the possible scope and scale of the influence of operant conditioning on animal behavior.

  • Behavioral Psychology

    • Watson, Edward Lee Thorndike, and B.
    • F.
    • Skinner.
    • John B.
    • F.

  • Shaping

    • In his operant-conditioning experiments, Skinner often used an approach called shaping.
    • To test this method, B.
    • F.
    • Skinner performed shaping experiments on rats, which he placed in an apparatus (known as a Skinner box) that monitored their behaviors.
    • For example, once the rat had touched the lever, Skinner might stop rewarding it for simply taking a step toward the lever.

  • Behaviorism Advocates

    • John B.
    • Watson (1878-1958) and B.
    • F.
    • Skinner (1904-1990) are the two principal originators of behaviorist approaches to learning.
    • Skinner remarked that "the things we call pleasant have an energizing or strengthening effect on our behavior" (Skinner, 1972, p. 74).

  • Reinforcement Theory

    • Reinforcement theory has been put into operation in a process called "operant conditioning," a term coined by B.
    • F.
    • Skinner to mean "the changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement given after the desired response. " Skinner identified three types of responses or operant that can follow behavior.
    • Skinner studied operant conditioning by conducting experiments using rats, which he placed in a "Skinner Box".

  • Conditioned Behavior

    • A major proponent of such conditioning was psychologist B.F.
    • Skinner, the inventor of the Skinner box.
    • Skinner put rats in his boxes that contained a lever that would dispense food to the rat when depressed.

  • References

    • Parkay, F.W. & Hass, G. (2000).
    • Skinner, B. (1972).