Psychology 3260:
Personality & Social
Development
Don Hartmann, Spring 2007
Lecture 7: Skinner
Supplemental References
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http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/skinner.htm
http://www.bfskinner.org/Operant.asp
http://www.bfskinner.org/
A few of the interesting books by Skinner:
Walden II (1948), Science and Human
Behavior (1953), Beyond Freedom and
Dignity (1971), and About Behaviorism
(1974).
Overview of Skinner Lecture
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Overlap pp. 43-44
Lecture:
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Introduction to Skinner
Methodological Contributions
Principles of Behavior
Minor Principle & Emphases
Implications for Development
Evaluation
Summary
Next: Lect. #8: Bandura
Introduction
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Most influential psychologist
of the 20th century
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Not a developmental theory—a psychology of
action
The Professor will Profess—Skinner is
relevant to the course, despite warnings from
Shaffer (text writer)
Some Equivalences: Operant Psychology,
Radical Behaviorism, Skinnerian Psychology
Methodological Contributions
 Philosophy of Science: Behaviorism
• Behavior is the focus; no emphasis on the black
boxes
• Use of objective, verifiable data
• The proper study for psychology is the behavior of
individual organisms (e.g., people);
as a result…
 Single Subject Designs
40
35
30
25
20
15
Violent TV
Control TV
10
5
0
 Functional Definitions—rather than Procedural
Definitions
 Functional Analysis: The control of
behavior is found by examining its function
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Behavior is Controlled by It’s
Consequences
Principles of Behavior:
Strengthening Behavior
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Principle of Reinforcement
Positive Reinforcer: If a behavior is
strengthened when it produces a consequence,
that consequence is a positive reinforcer.
Negative Reinforcer: If a behavior is
strengthened when it reduces or avoids or
terminates a consequence, then that consequence
is a negative reinforcer
Reinforcers strengthen behavior.
Extinction
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Weakening of a behavior by following it
with nothing (no consequence)
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Examples:
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Decrease (weakening) of lecture preparation
produced by unresponsive students.
The decrease in temper tantrums that occurs
when parents don’t respond to the tantrums
Punishment
Punishment WEAKENS behavior
 “Positive” Punishment: If a behavior is
weakened by the presentation of a
consequence, then that consequence is a
punishment for that behavior
 “Negative” Punishment: If a behavior is
weakened by the avoidance or reduction of
a consequence, that consequence serves as
a punishing consequence for that behavior
“Coercion” Illustrating Punishment &
Negative Reinforcement
Here is how it begins:
 (1) A girl teasing her older brother, who makes her stop teasing by
yelling at her. [If she stops teasing, yelling serves as a punishing
event or stimuli for her. Furthermore, his yelling is negatively
reinforced (strengthened) as it terminates her teasing.]
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(2) A few minutes later, the girl calls her brother a nasty name. The
boy then chases and hits her—and she stops calling him nasty
names. [Because her name-calling is weakened, his chasing and
hitting serve as punishing events. His chasing and hitting are
negatively reinforced—strengthened—by the termination of her
name-calling.]
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(3) She then whimpers and hits him back, and he withdraws. [Her
whimpering/hitting serves as a punishment if it terminates his
chasing/hitting. His withdrawal negatively reinforces her hits.]
Minor Principles
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Immediate consequences
are more
effective than delayed consequences (immediate
pleasure of nicotine vs. lung problems when older)
Intermittent reinforcement is more effective for
maintaining a response than is continuous
reinforcement
Principle of Shaping (reinforcing
successive approximations)
 But check:
http://www.snopes.com/college/pranks/trained.asp
Emphases
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Big Principle: Controlling behavior by
arranging environmental contingencies
Use Positive Control
Avoid Negative Control (punishment): It
excessive use results in
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avoidance of the user
imitation of the negative control
undesirable emotional behavior that interferes
with learning
Practical Implication
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Social Engineering
Parenting
Education & Training (e.g., sports)
Behavior Modification in treatment centers
Contributions
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Practical (contingency management):
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Consequences Control Behavior
Emphasis on Positive Consequences
Shaping for Acquiring Complex Behaviors
Behavior Modification Procedures
Academic
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Behaviorism: Focus on observable behavior
Functional Analysis
N=1 Methodology: Behavior resides with the individual
Functional Definitions
Summary & Conclusions
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Skinner’s notions are important to
understanding behavior—its acquisition &
maintenance. However, he does not have a
developmental theory
Next time: Lect. #8: Bandura
Go in Peace!