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ABOUT BEHAVIORISM
BF SKINNER
B.F. Skinner
1904-1990
B.F. Skinner
Born in 1904
Dad was a lawyer
Mom an upstanding
housewife with a strong
vision of what was “right”
and “wrong”
“Tinkerer” – liked to build
things
Tinkerer
Skinner the tinkerer
Tinkerer
Skinner the tinkerer
Tinkerer
Skinner the tinkerer
B.F. Skinner-the writer
Majored in English at
Hamilton College
The Writer
Lived in Greenwich
village
Writer
B.F. Skinner-the writer
“I was very bitter
about my failure in
Literature and I was
sure writers never
really understood
anything. And that is
why I turned to
Psychology”
Writer
B.F. Skinner-psychologist Psychologist
The Grad Student at
Harvard
Introspection-not
interested in “the
inside story”
The Professor
Professor
B.F. Skinner-troublemaker
The Troublemaker
“Would you, if you
had to choose, burn
your children or your
books?”
Troublemaker
B.F. Skinner-troublemaker
Walden 2
Utopian society
Troublemaker
Twin Oaks, Virginia
Twin Oaks, Virginia
Twin Oaks, Virginia
Los Horcones, Mexico
Why communal living
"The problem of far greater
importance remains to be
solved. Rather than build a
world in which we shall all
live well, we must stop
building one in which it will
be impossible to live at all.
Los Horcones, Mexico
Happiness and behavior
 "The experimental analysis of behavior
has clearly shown that it is not the
quantity of goods that count (as the
laws of supply and demand suggest) but
the contingent relation between goods
and behavior. That is why, to the
amazement of the American tourist, there
are people in the world who are happier
then we are, while possessing far less."
Los Horcones, Mexico
"Our goal is to have every adult member of
Walden Two regard all our children as his own,
and to have every child think of every adult as
his parent."
Los Horcones, Mexico
"Our goal is to have every adult member of
Walden Two regard all our children as his own,
and to have every child think of every adult as
his parent."
B.F. Skinner
Writer
Professor
Psychologist
Tinkerer
Behaviorist
Troublemaker
Writer
Professor
Tinkerer
B.F.
Psychologist
Skinner
Troublemaker
Behaviorist
Operant Conditioning
“All Behavior is followed
by a consequence, and
the nature of that
consequence modifies the
organisms tendency to
repeat the behavior in the
future”
Skinner boxes
Skinner boxes
Skinner boxes
Skinner boxes=rat basketball
Skinner boxes
Skinner boxes
What is It?
Everyday Random behavior (Operant)
Reinforcement comes after the particular
behavior
Operant conditioning
forms an association
between a behavior
and a consequence.
What is it?
Learning is based on a trial and error
process whereby an organism remembers
what behaviors elicited positive, or
pleasurable, responses and which elicited
negative ones.
Learning Curve
Reinforcements are Key!
A behavior followed by a reinforcing stimulus
results in an increased probability of that behavior
occurring in the future.
A behavior no longer followed by a the reinforcing
stimulus results in a decreased probability of that
behavior occurring in the future.
Reinforcement Schedules
Continuous
1 Push = 1 Reinforcer
Fixed Ratio
X Pushes = 1 Reinforcer
Fixed Interval
10 Minutes = 1 Reinforcer
Variable Schedule
X Pushes = X Reinforcer
Complex Behaviors
Shaping
Positive Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement
Punishment
Extinction
Shaping
Aim is to reach a desired behavior
Each step towards desired goal is
rewarded until desired behavior is
memorized or internalized
Positive Reinforcers
Reinforcers - rewards given to illicit the
desired behavior
To change a behavior: Give reinforcements
when desired behavior is accomplished.
Negative Reinforcers
An existing Stimulus is taken away to
change behavior.
Punishment
Unwanted behavior is controlled by
removing privileges in order to stop the
behavior
Extinction
Termination of a behavior by the
consistent removal of the reinforcer
Behavior Modification
What is it?
Straight forward therapy based on
Skinner’s work
Extinguish undesirable behavior by
removing reinforcer and replacing it with a
desirable behavior by reinforcement.
A Useful tool
Useful with a variety of psychological
problems
addictions, neuroses,shyness,autism,
schizophrenia
Works particularly well with children (token
economy)
Expanding into psychological areas with
the rising cost of healthcare.
Skinner’s Use of Behavior
Modification
Skinner Box
Project Pigeon
Baby Box
Behavior Modification Today
Based on the principles and procedures of
the scientific method
Deals with clients current problems
Client expected to be active by engaging
in specific action to deal with his/her
problems.
Behavior Modification Today
Self-control
Tailored to fit the unique needs of each
client
Current Behavior Modification
Relaxation Training
Systematic Desensitization
Exposure therapies
IN VIVO desensitization
Flooding
Criticisms of Behavior Modification
Changes behavior not feeling
Does not provide insight
Treats symptoms rather than causes
Involves control and manipulation
Conclusion
Let's go back to Skinner's childhood - and
the mockup of his Pajama Hangar.
View Skinner’s upbringing through his
own Operant coniditioning.
Presentation URL:
www.scs.unr.edu/~kgibson/work/skinner.ppt