B. F. Skinner Positive Reinforcements

Background Born: March 20, 1904 Died: August 18, 1990 Ph’d – Harvard 1931 Researcher – Harvard 1931 – 1936 University of MN 1936 – 1946 Indiana University 1946 – 1947 Harvard

Invented Operant Conditioning Chamber

Radical Behaviorism Applied Reinforcement Natural Natural Token Token Social Social Tangible Tangible Removed or Avoided

Influence on Education Verbal and Non-Verbal Behaviors

In Instruction Encourage Students

Why Teachers Fail? Aversive Techniques Aversive Techniques Telling and Explaining Telling and Explaining Failure to Adapt Failure to Adapt No Positive Reinforcement No Positive Reinforcement

Skinner’s Techniques Clearly State Action Clearly State Action Simple to Complex Simple to Complex Perform Each Step While Reinforcing Perform Each Step While Reinforcing Adjust So Student is Always Successful Adjust So Student is Always Successful Transfer to Intermittent Reforcement Transfer to Intermittent Reforcement

Can This Theory Help? Use of both verbal and non-verbal behaviors of Intermittent Positive Reinforcement helps engage students in their instruction.

Middle School Impact Use of Natural, Tangible, and Social Positive Reinforcement will help in Classroom Management Use of Natural, Tangible, and Social Positive Reinforcement will help in Classroom Management Will keep students engaged with Content of Classes Will keep students engaged with Content of Classes Will increase student self- esteem Will increase student self- esteem Will decrease need for Negative Reinforcement Will decrease need for Negative Reinforcement

High School Impact Use of Natural, Token, and Social Positive Reinforcement will help in Classroom Management Use of Natural, Token, and Social Positive Reinforcement will help in Classroom Management Will keep students engaged with Content of Classes Will keep students engaged with Content of Classes Will increase student self- esteem Will increase student self- esteem Will decrease need for Negative Reinforcement Will decrease need for Negative Reinforcement Engaged students reduce drop-out rates Engaged students reduce drop-out rates Token helps promotes independence Token helps promotes independence

References ning/f/positive-reinforcement.htm ning/f/positive-reinforcement.htm hinkers/p/bio_skinner.htm hinkers/p/bio_skinner.htm Skinner Techniques by Mahzarin R. Banaji (Harvard University)