Theorist Biosketch: B.F Skinner The study of human behavior is a very intriguing subject within the field of psychology that has led to the production of various theories, approaches, and studies to understand its anatomy thoroughly. In particular, Behaviorism, which was introduced within the twentieth century, revolves around the concepts that environments determine individuals’ behaviors. One of America’s very own prominent psychologist, as well as, behaviorist, was B.F Skinner. Skinner constructed various theories which served as possible explanations which were utilized to comprehend human’s behaviors and thoughts. Skinner reverted to observable behaviors and emphasized the belief that environmental factors played a significant role in the development of humans’ behaviors (Weiten, 2009).
Skinner’s Adolescent Years
Burrhus Frederic Skinner was born on March 20, 1904 in Pennsylvania in the small town of Susquehanna (Bjork, 1993). Skinner’s father, William Arthur Skinner, was a lawyer and his mother, Grace Madge Burrhus, took care of Skinner and his younger brother at home. Young Skinner grew up in an environment which he stated was in “chaotic conditions under which children learned to explore, to organize, to select, …show more content…
Based on the following belief, Skinner categorized reinforcements into two sub-divisions, positive and negative.. Skinner demonstrated positive reinforcement through placing a famished rat in the Skinner box. The side of this box had a lever which the rat knocked, accidentally, whenever it moved about the box. A food particle would fall into a pot beside the lever after knocking the lever. Thus, the rat learned to head straight to the lever after being placed, in the box, for few times. The fact that the rats obtained food each time they pressed the lever forced them to repeat the action,
Skinner’s Adolescent Years
Burrhus Frederic Skinner was born on March 20, 1904 in Pennsylvania in the small town of Susquehanna (Bjork, 1993). Skinner’s father, William Arthur Skinner, was a lawyer and his mother, Grace Madge Burrhus, took care of Skinner and his younger brother at home. Young Skinner grew up in an environment which he stated was in “chaotic conditions under which children learned to explore, to organize, to select, …show more content…
Based on the following belief, Skinner categorized reinforcements into two sub-divisions, positive and negative.. Skinner demonstrated positive reinforcement through placing a famished rat in the Skinner box. The side of this box had a lever which the rat knocked, accidentally, whenever it moved about the box. A food particle would fall into a pot beside the lever after knocking the lever. Thus, the rat learned to head straight to the lever after being placed, in the box, for few times. The fact that the rats obtained food each time they pressed the lever forced them to repeat the action,