B.F. SKINNER

EARLY HISTORY

• Burrhus Frederic Skinner
• Birth- March 20, 1904
• Intelligent upbringing
• August 18- 1990
• Leukemia

EDUCATION

• Hamilton College-New York
• Greenwich village, New York
• Masters in psychology-Harvard 1930
• Doctorate in 1931- 1936

EDUCATION

• Minneapolis- University of Minnesota
• Married Yvonne Blue- 2 children
• Skinners invention on child (air crib)
• chairmen of the psychology department at Indiana University 1945
• 1948 Invited to Harvard
• Researches, books(fiction, poetry)
• Best psychology writer- Walden II

OPERANT CONDITIONING

• Deals with intentional actions that have an effect on the surrounding environment.
• Based on Edward Thorndike's 'Law of Effect'
• (simplypsychology.org)

OPERANT CONDITIONING

• Reinforced behaviour tends to be repeated
• Unenforced behaviour tends to die out/be extinguished
• (simplypsychology.org)

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

• Strengthens behaviour by providing a consequence that is rewarding
• EXAMPLE:
• Providing a toy to a child
• (simplypsychology.org)

NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

• Removal of an unpleasant reinforcer
• EXAMPLE:
• Taking away something painful
• (simplypsychology.org)

TOKEN ECONOMY

• A system in which targeted behaviours are reinforced with tokens, then later exchanged for rewards.
• (simplypsychology.org)

Token Economy

• Tokens can be:
• fake money, buttons, stickers, poker chips
• Rewards can be:
• snacks, activities
• (simplypsychology.org)

References

• B.F. Skinner- Operant Conditioning simplypsychology.org