One of the most influential psychologists in history Burmus Frederic Skinner, was born in Susquehanna Pennsylvania on March 20, 1904. His father was a lawyer, while his mother would stay at home to take care of Skinner and his younger brother, who died of a severe disease at the age if sixteen. As a child Skinner would build many different contraptions, and would actually do experiments on the neighborhood kids. Skinner first attended Hamilton College, perusing a major in English Literature. While attending Hamilton, Skinner would constantly defy the rules; not attending class, back talking. After many years of being defiant and not that happy at Hamilton, he finally graduated. Shortly after Skinner attended Middlebury School of English located
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Skinner would eventually attend Harvard University pursing a degree in psychology. Not that familiar with the choice he made Skinner, would first start out studying his own observations and perceptions. While doing so Skinner would study fellow psychologists such as Pavlov and Loeb. It wasn’t until Skinner met his future mentor Fred S. Keller, until he started studying behavior. Studying this topic opened up many doors for Skinner, which of one is his theory of operant conditioning; which inspired “The Skinner Box”. The Skinner box gave Skinner access to watch animals in their natural environment. Skinner first tested out his theory on rats and then pigeon’s behavior in a new environment, which he came up with the idea that animals need to learn to adapt to their environment in order to survive. Skinner came up with the three types of responses for operant conditioning, which were neutral operant; responses from the environment which would not increase or decrease the behavior of a subject repeated. Reinforcers; responses that would increase the behavior of the
Skinner would eventually attend Harvard University pursing a degree in psychology. Not that familiar with the choice he made Skinner, would first start out studying his own observations and perceptions. While doing so Skinner would study fellow psychologists such as Pavlov and Loeb. It wasn’t until Skinner met his future mentor Fred S. Keller, until he started studying behavior. Studying this topic opened up many doors for Skinner, which of one is his theory of operant conditioning; which inspired “The Skinner Box”. The Skinner box gave Skinner access to watch animals in their natural environment. Skinner first tested out his theory on rats and then pigeon’s behavior in a new environment, which he came up with the idea that animals need to learn to adapt to their environment in order to survive. Skinner came up with the three types of responses for operant conditioning, which were neutral operant; responses from the environment which would not increase or decrease the behavior of a subject repeated. Reinforcers; responses that would increase the behavior of the