B.F. Skinner
Definition
B.F. Skinner was a psychologist who developed the theory of operant conditioning, which posits that behavior is determined by its consequences, be they reinforcements or punishments.
Analogy
Think of B.F. Skinner as a coach who believes in training his team not by explaining what to do but by rewarding good plays and punishing bad ones. Over time, the team learns to repeat successful strategies and avoid unsuccessful ones based on the feedback they receive.
Related terms
Behaviorism: A theory of learning that focuses solely on observable behaviors, disregarding any mental activities.
Reinforcement: In operant conditioning, it's any event that strengthens or increases the behavior it follows.
Punishment: It's an event that decreases the likelihood of the behavior it follows in operant conditioning.
"B.F. Skinner" appears in:
Study guides (4)
Practice Questions (2)
- In the context of operant conditioning, how did B.F. Skinner's research refine our understanding of Thorndike's Law of Effect?
- Question #2: Which statement challenges the conventional understanding of B.F. Skinner's operant conditioning in relation to linguistic behavior?
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