_B.F. Skinner _
By: Cynthia
B.F. Skinner On March 20, 1904, a man known as B.F. Skinner was born in
Susquehanna, Pennsylvania (Encarta 95). His real name was Burrhus Fredric, but
he signed his name as B.F. since he was at the tender age of nine (World
Authors 764). Skinner accomplished many things in his lifetime. He wrote
several books, all about psychologyB.F. Skinner was the first child of
William A. and Grace Burrhus Skinner (World Authors 764). His father was a
successful lawyer who wrote a legal standard textbook (World Authors 764).
Because of this, B.F. Skinner grew up wealthy, but he still held a job as a
shoe clerk (Markle 3). During high school, Skinner was involved in many
activities, including writing for the local paper, playing the piano and
saxophone, and inventing things (Markle 3) After graduating high school,
B.F. Skinner went to Hamilton College (World Authors 764). In 1926, Skinner
graduated from Hamilton where he majored in English language and literature
(Academic American 343). From there, he went on to Harvard University, where
he received a Ph.D. degree in 1931(Encarta 95). B.F. stayed there until 1936
doing laboratory experiments (Academic American 343). He then joined the
University of Minnesota in 1937 (Academic American 343). It was during this
time that Skinner wrote his first book The Behavior of Organisms (Encarta 95).
The book was quoted to be a fairly comprehensive study of operant
conditioning (Academic American 343) Escobar 2 In this book, the
theory of B.F. Skinner is based upon the idea that learning is a function of
change in overt behavior (Markle 59). Changes in behavior are the result of an
individuals response to events (stimuli) that occur in the environment
(Markle 60). A response produces a consequence such as defining a word,
hitting a ball, or solving a math problem (Markle 60). When a particular
Stimulus-Response (S-R) pattern is reinforced (rewarded), the individual is
conditioned to respond (Markle 60). The distinctive characteristic of operant
conditioning relative to previous forms of behaviorism (for example Thorndike
and Hull) is that the organism can emit responses instead of only eliciting
response due to an external stimulus (Markle 61) Reinforcement is the key
element in Skinners S-R theory (Markle 61). A reinforcer is anything that
strengthens the desired response (Skinner 47). It could be verbal praise, a
good grade, or a feeling of increased accomplishment or satisfaction (Skinner
47). The theory also covers negative reinforcers (punishment) that result in
the reduction of undesired responses (Markle 61). A great deal of attention
was given to schedules of reinforcement and their effects on establishing and
maintaining behavior (Markle 61) After this book was written, Skinner
married Yvonne Blue (Academic American 343). In 1938, he had his first
daughter, Julie Vargas and his second one in 1944, named Deborah Buzan
(Academic American 343). During World War II, Skinner was an associate
professor for the United States Office of Scientific Research and Development
(Encarta 95). He did important research, which eventually led to his
development of the Skinner Box (Encarta 95). This research included training
pigeon guided missiles (World Authors 764). Skinner was supported by General
Motors, Inc. and the Office of Scientific Research and Escobar 3
Development (Encarta 95). It was also during this time in which he first
designed his baby box , also called the Aircrib (World Authors 764). The baby
box is a controlled environmental chamber for infants (World Authors 764).
Skinner used his own daughter, Deborah, (along with two granddaughters), for
this baby box (World Authors 764). The Aircrib is a large, air-conditioned,
germ-free, soundproof box made to give an ideal environment (World Authors
766). The baby put in the box could play or sleep without clothes or coverings
(World Authors 766). The result of this experiment prompted Skinner to write
Walden Two (World Authors 766). It gave an account on a Utopian Society where
traditional child raising techniques where replaced with behavioral
engineering (World Authors 766). Skinner thought that human behavior is
determined by a response to outside stimuli (World Authors 766). In Walden
Two, Skinners utopia was said to be a world in a world (Mackle 79). The
Walden Two experiment represents a kind of scientific exploration and the
experimental code for good behavior is set (Mackle 79). Everyone in Walden Two
is expected to follow the code, by doing so they are under the supervision of
managers (Mackle 79). This was an ideal society where there isnt any
punishment and discipline (Mackle 79). But, happiness, goodness, and
spontaneity come into play (Mackle 79). Walden Two, which has been read by
many and discussed by many, is said to be well written but too full of
ethical abstractions (World Authors 766). However, many readers were in awe
for the thought of even using and experiment done with rats and applying it to
human beings (World Authors 766) Escobar 4 Skinner wrote Science and
Human Behavior for his general education course at Harvard in 1953 (Encarta
95). Science and Human Behavior explains his behaviorist psychology (Encarta
95). At the same time taking into account previous thoughts over human
behavior (World Authors 767). Skinner says, A science of human behavior could
be expected to discover that what man does is the result of specifiable
conditions and that once these conditions have been discovered, we can
anticipate and to some extent determine his actions (Skinner 68). Many of his
readers said that the book was strong, consistent, and all but exhaustive
case for a natural science of human behavior (World Authors 766). Next came
Verbal Behavior, in which he said language was just a type of behavior (World
Authors 766). Skinner commented that all of the contingencies of
reinforcement influencing an individual would make possible the prediction and
control of speech (World Authors 766) After Verbal Behavior, Skinner wrote
his most controversial book. Beyond Freedom and Dignity was published in 1971
(Encarta 95). It extends the ideas in Walden Two and the book is said to make
his definitive statement of man and society (Skinner 69). Skinner says if
humanity is to survive we must abandon such pre-scientific ideals as
freedom and dignity, and set about controlling our environment and ourselves
by means of a technology of behavior which will be comparable in power and
precision to physical and biological technology and which will induce people
not to be good but to behave well (Skinner 69). In the end, survival is the
only value according to which a culture can be judged (Skinner 69)
Escobar 5 The last definite thing found on B.F. Skinner is that he
passed away on August of 1990 (Mackle 81). His daughter has said she has a
sensation she was a happy baby and spending two and a half years in the
Aircrib was a good thing (Mackle 81). B.F. Skinner was a controversial and
very interesting person. He did many things to try to help the human race. The
main thing given for the field of biology is his development of operant
conditioning. Trying to make society a much better thing seemed to be number
one on his mind. Even though people didnt see eye to eye with him and many of
his thought were very controversial, it didnt stop him from following what he
thought would be right. Skinner was a much criticized man, he was also,
however, and important man in psychology and the development of human thought.
He gave this field of work a lot to look toward. Throughout all of his books
and papers written there is much to talk about with Skinner has said and done.
_Bibliography _
Works Cited Mackle, S. Good Frames and Bad . New York: Wiley, 1969. Skinner,
B.F. . Academic American. Novato, CA: Galahad Books, 1991. Skinner, B.F. .
Microsoft Encarta. New York: Funk &Wagnalls Corporation. Skinner, B.F. Science
and Human Behavior. New York: Macmillian, 1953. Skinner, B.F. . World
Authors. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
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