B.F. Skinner

Burrhus Frederic Skinner, commonly known as B.F. Skinner, was an American psychologist, behaviorist, author, inventor, and social philosopher, born on March 20, 1904, and died on August 18, 1990. He is considered one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century and the leading proponent of behaviorism, a psychological movement that emphasizes the importance of observable behavior over internal processes such as thoughts and feelings. Skinner earned his BA in English from Hamilton College and pursued a writing career before becoming interested in psychology. He received his PhD from Harvard University in 1931 and spent most of his professional life there as a researcher and professor. He is best known for his work on operant conditioning, a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. He developed a philosophy of science called radical behaviorism, which considers behavior as a function of environmental histories of reinforcing consequences. His research led him to invent the "Skinner box," a laboratory apparatus used to study animal behavior. The Skinner box allowed precise measurements of the rates of behavior change in response to different reinforcement schedules, such as variable ratio or interval schedules. Skinner authored several books, among them "The Behavior of Organisms" (1938) and "Science and Human Behavior" (1953), which provide a foundation for the analysis of behavior. His later works, including "Beyond Freedom and Dignity" (1971) and "About Behaviorism" (1974), address the application of behavioral principles to social issues, advocating for the use of behavioral engineering to improve society. Skinner's contributions to understanding behavior have had a profound impact on psychology, education, and other fields. Despite criticism from those who oppose behaviorism for neglecting internal mental states, Skinner’s work remains fundamental to the science of behavior and its applications in real-world settings. He received numerous awards for his contributions to psychology, including the National Medal of Science awarded to him in 1968.