1. B.F Skinner 1904 - 1990

2. Biography Born in Susquehanna, PA Parents and grandmother strict “I was taught to fear God, the police, and what people think” Grandmother taught the punishments of Hell by pointing out the hot coals in the parlor stove Father took him to the local jail and to a lecture about life in a New York State Prison

3. Biography These and other experiences determined his adult behaviors through the rewards and punishment he received as a child Spent hours building things leading to several later inventions A flotation machine to separate ripe and green elderberries A device to help remind him to hang up his PJs An air crib to provide and environmentally controlled environment

4. Biography Attempted to become a writer Submitted three short stories to Robert Frost Attempted to write a novel “I had nothing important to say” Felt he was not at fault but the “limitations of the literary method for understanding human behavior was at fault”

5. Biography Entered Harvard in 1928 to study psychology. Did return to writing once to deal with depression. Wrote Walden Two Discusses a society which is controlled by positive reinforcement (token economy) Has sold more than 2 million copies

6. Behavior Respondent Behavior A response made to or elicited by a specific external event or stimulus Environment impacts behavior Operant Behavior Behavior that is emitted spontaneously and voluntarily rather than elicited by a stimulus Has impact on the environment because it produces consequences

7. Operant Conditioning The selection of behavior through its consequences Learning is measured by changes (increases and decreases) in the rate of responding

8. Operant Conditioning Reinforcement Positive Negative Punishment Positive Negative

9. Operant Conditioning Schedules of Reinforcement Shaping Extinction

10. Personality Non-existent invisible structure A repository of learned responses within a specific individual All personality characterizations are the result of a failure to observe explanatory external variables that elicit the behavior