B. F. Skinner

Description: (American psychologist)

Burrhus Frederic “B.F.” Skinner was a psychologist and social philosopher considered to be a pioneer in the field of behaviorism. He founded a separate school of psychology known as “radical behaviorism” which differed considerably from the other schools of psychology. He believed that living beings tend to repeat the actions which they believe give them favourable results. He called this the principle of reinforcement. He was an intelligent, creative, and independent minded individual who often found himself surrounded by controversy due to the nature of his works. He was of the view that free will was an illusion and vehemently denied that humans possessed any freedom or dignity. He was also an inventor who is credited to have invented the operant conditioning chamber which is used to study behaviour conditioning. He designed the air crib, a temperature and humidity controlled crib for taking care of babies. This proved to be his most controversial invention and he was heavily criticized for inflicting cruelty upon small babies. A prolific writer, he authored 180 articles and more than 20 books, the best known of which are ‘Walden Two’ and ‘Beyond Freedom and Dignity’. Throughout his life he had served as a professor in various colleges and left a profound impact on in the field of education.

Overview

Birthday March 20, 1904 (Pisces)
Alternative names Burrhus Frederic Skinner
Died on August 18, 1990
Spouse/Ex- Yvonne Blue (m. 1936–1990)
Parents William
Grace Skinner
Children Deborah (m. Buzan), Julie (m. Vargas)
Relatives Edward

Did you know

What is B. F. Skinner known for? B. F. Skinner was an American psychologist known for his influential work in the field of behaviorism, particularly his studies on operant conditioning.
What are the key concepts of B. F. Skinner's behaviorism? Key concepts in B. F. Skinner's behaviorism include operant conditioning, reinforcement, punishment, shaping, and schedules of reinforcement.
How did B. F. Skinner's work impact psychology? B. F. Skinner's work had a significant impact on psychology by emphasizing the role of the environment in shaping behavior, promoting the study of observable behavior, and introducing principles of reinforcement.
What is B. F. Skinner's theory of operant conditioning? B. F. Skinner's theory of operant conditioning focuses on how behavior is influenced by its consequences, such as reinforcement or punishment, leading to either an increase or decrease in the likelihood of that behavior occurring again.
What are some criticisms of B. F. Skinner's behaviorism? Criticisms of B. F. Skinner's behaviorism include concerns about its emphasis on environmental determinism, limitations in explaining complex human behavior, and ethical issues related to the use of behavior modification techniques.
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