1. Lexus Campbell & abby fletcher
B.F. Skinner
Lexus Campbell & abby fletcher

2. When Was He Born? Born: March 20. 1904 Died: August 18, 1990
Susquehanna, Pennsylvania
Also grew up
Died: August 18, 1990
Died of leukemia

3. HIS THEORY Entire system is based on operant conditioning
Organism is in the process of “operating” on the environment
Bouncing around its world, doing what it does
Rat doing “rat” things
Reinforcing Stimulus (reinforce): a special kind of stimulus that the organism encounters while “operating”
Food pellet
Has the effect of increasing the operant
Operant: the behavior occurring just before the reinforce
Rats
A behavior followed by a reinforcing stimulus results in an increased probability of that behavior occurring in the future
A behavior no longer followed by the reinforcing stimulus results in a decreased probability of that behavior occurring in the future

4. Stages or Models

5. Schedules of Reinforcement
Continuous Reinforcement: Every time the rat does the behavior (pedal-pushing), he gets a rat goodie
Fixed Ratio Schedule: If the rat presses the pedal three times, say, he gets a goodie
Fixed Interval Schedule: If the rat presses the bar at least once during a particular stretch of time (say 20 seconds), then he gets one goodie
Even if the rat pushes the bar 100 times in 20 seconds, he only gets one goodie
Variable Schedules: You change the “x” each time – first it takes 3 presses to get a goodie, then 10, then 1, then 7 and so on.
You keep changing the time period – first 20 seconds, then 5, then 35, then 10 and so on
No matter what, the rats are kept on their rat toes.
They no longer “pace themselves, because they can no longer stablish a “rhythm” between behavior and reward.

6. Shaping
Being gently shaped by your environment to enjoy certain things
For more complex behaviors
“The method of successive approximations”
The same method that is used in the therapy called systematic desensitization

7. Aversive Stimuli The opposite of reinforcing Good thing= treat
Bad thing= no treat and punishment
“A behavior followed by an aversive stimulus results in a decreased probability of the behavior occurring in the future.”
Negative Reinforcement: If you remove an already active aversive stimulus after a (rat or Jonny) preforms a certain behavior
“Behavior followed by the removal of an aversive stimulus results in an increased probability of that behavior occurring in the future”

8. Behavior Modification
Referred to as “B-mod”
Therapy technique based on Skinner’s work
Extinguish an undesirable behavior (by removing the reinforce) and replacing it with a desirable behavior by reinforcement
Used on all sorts of psychological problems: addictions, neuroses, shyness, autism, even schizophrenia
Token Economy: Certain rules are made- behavior yourself, you will be rewarded

9. Best known for?
Social/ Emotional Intellectual
Main studies: BEHAVIOR

10. Do You Agree? Why or Why Not?

11. Theory in Your Own Lives
Chores= Money