B.F. SKINNER
Behaviourism: Key Theorists
Watson
Pavlov
Skinner
WHAT IS BEHAVIOURISM?
 The theory of behaviourism is based around the idea that all
behaviours are acquired through conditioning which occurs
during interaction within the surrounding environment.
 Believe it is unnecessary to speculate about the internal
mental processes when explaining behaviour.
 Based of the beliefs that behaviours can be measured,
trained and changed.
 Regard all behaviour as a response to a stimulus. Assumes
all learners are passive, responding to the environment
KEY IDEAS
① Deterministic- The way you act is determined by
external stimuli provided by the culture in which you
live (operant conditioning. What we do is determined
by the environment we are in
② Observable- over time the individual develops a
‘behavioural repertoire’ (Steinberg,1980) that can but
used to predict behaviour
③ Controllable- desirable behaviours can be brought
about by incentives, undesirable behaviours can ne
eradicated by consequences or punishment
TYPES OF CONDITIONING
There are two types
① Classical conditioning: a naturally occurring stimulus
is paired with a response.
② Operant conditioning: a method of learning what
occurs via reward and punishment based on
behaviour.
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING IN
THE CLASSROOM
 Teachers and fellow peers affect how you feel when
you enter a classroom
 When a teacher creates a friendly environment in the
class, the pupils will generally feel comfortable entering
the class.
Radical Behaviourism
 Developed by B.F.Skinner who describes a particular
school that emerged during the reign of behaviourism.
What differentiates his ideas is his recognition of the
major differences in the acceptance of mediating
structures and the role of emotions
 A human being according to this concept has life
determined for them since they are a product of the
culture that causes them to be as they are.
THE MANY TYPES OF
BEHAVIOURISM
 There is no one agreed upon classification of the
behaviourism theory;
 Methodological
 Radical: Skinner
 Teleological
 Theoretical
 Psycological
STRENGHTS OF
BEHAVIOURISM
 It is based upon behaviour which can clearly be
observed and assessed; it is easier to conduct
research and collect conclusive results.
 Therapy treatments that all stem from behaviourism (ie
behaviour analysis, behavioural intervention etc) have
been very useful in changing harmful behaviour in both
children and adults.
CRITICISMS OF
BEHAVIOURISM
 It is argued that the theory of behaviourism can be
deemed one dimensional when trying to understand
human behaviour; it does not take into account the free
will or other influences such as mood or feelings which
can all easily change a persons response.
 The theory of behaviourism does not account for other
learning types that do not use reinforcement and
punishment.
BEHAVIOURISM VS
COGNITIVISM
 The behaviourism theory is often contrasted with the
theory of cognitivism.
 The theory of cognitivism was a response to the initial
behaviourism theory; whilst behaviourism is the study
of behaviour for the purpose of identifying its
determinants, cognitivism is the study of mental
processes through the scientific method and
abstractions from behaviour.
B. F. Skinner - Profile
Full Name: Burrhus Frederic Skinner
Born: 20/03/1904
Place of Birth: Pensylvania, U.S.A.
Died: 18/08/1990
Place of Death: Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Education:
• Studied English at Hamilton College with the intention
of becoming a writer.
• Later obtained a degree in English Literature from
Harvard in 1926.
• After reading John B. Watson’s Behaviorism, obtained
a Masters in Psychology from Harvard.
• Skinner then furthered his research in Psychology
and recieved a PhD, again from Harvard, where he
remained until 1936 as a researcher.
Main Theories: Positive & Negative Reinforcement,
Operant Behavior, Escape Learning, Avoidence
Learning and Behavior Modification.
Positive Reinforcement
Definition: Conditioning behaviour by rewarding the
subject when the desired behaviour is demonstrated.
For example: When a child is learning to speak,
clapping and cheering when the child correctly says a
word or identifies an object.
Advantages: Makes the subject feel more willing to
behave correctly and makes them feel more free to make
the decision.
Negative Reinforcement
Definition: Conditioning behaviour by punishing the
subject when incorrect behaviour is demonstrated.
For example: When a child does something wrong, such
as biting, telling the child off or taking away a toy.
Advantages: Teaches the subject the hard way meaning
that they are much less likely to repeat the behaviour.
Disadvantages: Makes the subject feel oppressed and
like they have no free will to make their own choices.
‘Respondents’ and ‘Operants’
 A ‘respondent’ is when your behaviour changes in light
of an external event
 An ‘operant’ is when you change your behaviour in light
of an external event
 We are not able to control ‘respondents’ whereas,
‘operants’ are behaviours of our own accord
 ‘Operants’ can cause consequences due to our choice
of behaviour
Key Skinner Terms
 ‘Periodic Reconditioning’ – when ‘reinforcement’ is
constantly put in place to encourage regular positive
responses
 ‘Extinction Ratio’ – the amount of responses generated per
reinforcement
 ‘Psuedo –Reflex’ – when someone only responds when a
stimulus is put in place
 ‘Escape Learning’ – when you know you must do something
in order to make something else happen
 ‘Avoidance Learning’ – when you must do something to
avoid a certain consequence occurring
Skinner’s Skinner Box
Experiments
 Skinner chose provide evidence for his theories
through experiments using rats, pigeons and males
 He used different experiments to show differing
changes in behaviour
 However, the problem with these experiments was that
humans and animals behave in differing ways which
alters the reliability of his results
Results of The ‘Skinner Box’
Experiments
 Skinner tested ‘Operant Behaviour’ using rats and food,
as when food was released the rat soon began to
recognise the noise and immediately knew it was about
to be fed.
 Skinner then developed upon this by inputting a device
whereby the rat stood on it and food was released
which meant the rat could feed itself
Results of The ‘Skinner Box’
Experiments Continued
 The role of this noise switched to being a ‘reinforcer’ to
provide a link to the food for the rat
 When Skinner removed the device the rat soon knew it
would not get food via this method so stopped standing
on it
 Skinner used ‘negative reinforcement’ on a regular
basis until eventually he had trained the rats to press
the lever when a light came on and to press the lever to
evade the electrical current which was evidence of
‘escape learning’ and ‘avoidance learning’
References
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Skinner, B.F., and Dowling, W. F. (1973) Conversation with B . F. Skinner. Organizational
Dynamics, 1, p.31-40 .
Demorest, A. (2005) Psychology’s Grand Theorists: How Personal Experiences Shaped
Professional Ideas, New Jersey, Lawrence Eribaum Associates.
Hillgard, E.R (1948) Theories of Learning: The Century Psychology Series, New York,
Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Grace, E. (2012) Kid’s Development, Available from
http://www.kidsdevelopment.co.uk/bfskinnersbehaviouraltheory.html [Accessed 18th October
2012]
Boeree, C. G. (2006) B.F. Skinner, Biography, Available from
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/skinner.html [Accessed 20th Obctober 2012]