Skinner Box (Skinner 1948)

aim

to analyse how behaviour is changed by its consequences

method

1. made box

   a) measures learning thru how often animal behaviour

   b) highly controlled environ

2. tested pigeons/rats

3. situations

   a) operant response (uses environ to respond)

   b) reinforcer (eg food thru tube)

4. Superstition in the Pigeon” = food shown randomly but behaviour @ time associated

key findings

• how reinforcers/punishers affect behaviour; likelihood;re^

• rate of reinforcement (how often food shown) important

• behaviours can be conditioned w/o cause n effect

• pigeons “superstitious” like humans

contribution

• widespread application (advert, consumer)

• repeatable

limitations

1. harm/stress/hunger/shocks

2. animals cant understand actions

3. cant generalise

SI

• random

• quant; how often behaviour happens

• experimental research design