B.F. Skinner

B.F. Skinner

1904-1990; Field: behavioral; Contributions: created techniques to manipulate the consequences of an organism's behavior in order to observe the effects of subsequent behavior; Studies: Skinner box.

Denied both the concept of personality and the use of theories as research tools

functional analysis

an analysis of the purposes (functions) of problem behavior, wherein antecedents and consequences representing those in the person's natural routines are arranged within an experimental design so that their separate effects on problem behavior can be observed and measured

conditioned stimulus

stimulus that, at the beginning of training, does not elicit a predictable response from an organism

unconditioned stimulus

stimulus that elicits an automatic, natural, and predictable response from an organism

unconditioned response

the natural and automatic response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus

respondent behavior

behavior elicited by a known stimulus

operant behavior

behavior that appears to be simply emitted by the organism rather than elicited by a known stimulus

skinner box

a small experimental chamber for use with small animals, such as rats or pigeons, invented by Skinner to demonstrate operant conditioning

operant level

the frequency with which an operant response occurs before the introduction of a reinforcer

rate of responding

operant conditioning is measured by the change in this

extinction

Disappearance of the conditioned response.

"reinforce desired behavior and ignore undesirable behavior"

primary reinforcer

include food, water, oxygen, elimination, and sexual activity

secondary reinforcer

biologically neutral stimuli and thus not reinforcing, but acquire reinforcing properties through association with a primary reinforcer (money)

generalized reinforcers

secondary reinforcers that do not depend on a particular motivational state

continuous reinforcement schedule

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs

partial reinforcement schedule

response sometimes followed by a reinforcer and sometimes not followed by a reinforcer

fixed interval reinforcement schedule

schedule of reinforcement in which the interval of time that must pass before reinforcement becomes possible is always the same

LOWEST RATE OF RESPONDING

fixed ratio reinforcement schedule

organism must make x number of response before it is reinforced

SECOND HIGHEST RATE OF RESPONDING

variable interval reinforcement schedule

organism is reinforced at the end of variable time intervals

THIRD HIGHEST RATE OF RESPONDING

variable ratio reinforcement schedule

response contingent, but organism is reinforced on basis of an average number of responses. PRODUCES HIGHEST RATE OF RESPONDING

partial reinforcement effect

all partial reinforcement schedules produce greater resistance to extinction than an 100% continuous schedule of reinforcement

contingent reinforcement

if the appropriate response is not made, the reinforcer is not made available

superstitious behavior

organism believes its ritualistic response is responsible for producing the reinforcer

noncontingent reinforcement

reinforcement that occurs regardless of what the animal is doing

primary positive reinforcer

any stimulus that is positively or negatively related to an organism's survival.

secondary positive reinforcer

satisfies social psychological needs (good grades)

positive reinforcement

presents organism with something it wants

negative reinforcement

removes something the organism does not want

primary negative reinforcer

stimulus that is potentially harmful to the organism such as loud noise, bright light, electric shock

secondary negative reinforcer

negative reinforcer that derives its reinforcing properties through its association with a primary negative reinforcer

punishment

involves either removing a positive reinforcement or presenting a negative reinforcer

time out from reinforcement

child engaged in undesirable behavior is denied access for a period of time to positive reinforcers that are normally available in this situation

contingency contracting

A form of behavioral modification where the teacher and student create a contract specifying certain academic goals and the rewards or privileges that will be given once the goals are reached.

behavior therapy

any approach to psychotherapy that is based on a learning theory

token economy

certain behaviors deemed desirable and others deemed undesirable. Desirable behavior results in receiving tokens which can be exchanged for goods.

Criticized for treating symptoms and not causes of those symptoms.

contingency management

purposive manipulation of reinforcement contingencies so they encourage behaviors

culture

a set of reinforcement contingencies that encourages certain behaviors and discourages others, according to Skinner

Walden Two

Example of utopian literature. Futuristic novel in which Skinner created a fictional society in which the technology of behaviour replaced traditional prescientific views of freedom and dignity

cultural engineering

use of contingency management to design a culture

stimulus avoidance

removing oneself from an external variable

self-administered satiation

overdoing undesired behavior

aversive stimulation

making negative consequences for oneself