ForL 8250 Topics in ForL 8250 Topics in PedagogyPedagogy

Burrhus Frederick SkinnerBurrhus Frederick Skinner

Lourdes G. OsolloLourdes G. OsolloJanuary 20, 2009January 20, 2009

Dr. Peter Swanson

Burrhus Frederick SkinnerBurrhus Frederick Skinner

● Born in 1904, Susquehanna, Born in 1904, Susquehanna, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

● Died in 1990Died in 1990● Dreamed of “freedom” in a Dreamed of “freedom” in a

controlled environment: baby controlled environment: baby crib/air cribcrib/air crib

● ““Operant conditioning Operant conditioning chamber”chamber”

● ““Box”Box”● Walden Two:fictional Walden Two:fictional

communitycommunity

Intellectual “Family Tree” of B.F. Intellectual “Family Tree” of B.F. SkinnerSkinner

Sechenov

Pavlov Bekhterev Dewey Angell Donaldson Loeb

Mach

BaconCrozierWatson

Skinner

Todd JT, Morris EK. Modern Perspectives on BF Skinner & Contemporary Behaviorism. 1995.

Early ExperimentsEarly Experiments

Frogs reflexes with Frogs reflexes with electroshocks (not conditioned electroshocks (not conditioned but lowered threshold)but lowered threshold)

Skinner admired Pavlov Skinner admired Pavlov (secretion of saliva)(secretion of saliva)

Skinner: “descriptive”/”radical” Skinner: “descriptive”/”radical” behaviorist=behavior is behaviorist=behavior is determined by processes determined by processes within the live organismwithin the live organism

Early Experiments/TheoryEarly Experiments/Theory

In 1930 discovered immediate In 1930 discovered immediate reinforcement smooth ingestion curve reinforcement smooth ingestion curve rat moves lower legs nerves were rat moves lower legs nerves were spontaneous???spontaneous???

Interested on the “effects” that “reinforcers” Interested on the “effects” that “reinforcers” produce in an “intact” organism in an produce in an “intact” organism in an “enclosed” space“enclosed” space

““Behavior was triggered or “shaped” by its Behavior was triggered or “shaped” by its consequences”consequences”

Conditioned Reflexes and the Conditioned Reflexes and the notion of “Operant Conditioning”notion of “Operant Conditioning”

Operant Conditioning vs Reflex & vs Operant Conditioning vs Reflex & vs Pavlovian reflex (salivary)Pavlovian reflex (salivary)

Behaviors do not begin as reflexesBehaviors do not begin as reflexesInstrumental vs Operant. Behavior Instrumental vs Operant. Behavior

operated on the environment.operated on the environment.Operant is defined in terms of its effects Operant is defined in terms of its effects

Purpose Consequences of an act Purpose Consequences of an act

ReinforcementsReinforcements

Can be + or -Can be + or -Contingencies change & improve the Contingencies change & improve the

conditions behaviorconditions behaviorAversive Control is < effective than + Aversive Control is < effective than +

ControlControlSociety follows the negative Society follows the negative Some - critics: + Control techniques to Some - critics: + Control techniques to

shape behavior destroy man’s spirit shape behavior destroy man’s spirit

Punishment/ControlPunishment/Control

People naturally good, but Cultural People naturally good, but Cultural Determinism sideways redirectionDeterminism sideways redirection

Personal responsibility is questioned!Personal responsibility is questioned!Skinner vs Rogers: “Client” will not find Skinner vs Rogers: “Client” will not find

the controlling forces to redirect the controlling forces to redirect themselves within them (Judeo-Christian themselves within them (Judeo-Christian religion)religion)

Control: The bully/weak Control: The bully/weak

(Also see:Paolo Freire: “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”)

Punishment/ControlPunishment/Control

Control by its means is not effectiveControl by its means is not effectiveInduction is better and long lastingInduction is better and long lastingAt school SS punishment studyAt school SS punishment study

without won’twithout won’t

with induction with induction will be lasting will be lasting

Reinforcement & PunishmentReinforcement & Punishment ReinforcementReinforcement

(behavior increases) (behavior increases) PunishmentPunishment

(behavior decreases) (behavior decreases) PositivePositive

(something added) (something added) Positive ReinforcementPositive Reinforcement

Something added Something added increases behavior increases behavior

Positive PunishmentPositive Punishment Something added Something added decreases behavior decreases behavior

NegativeNegative (something removed) (something removed)

Negative ReinforcementNegative ReinforcementSomething removed Something removed increases behavior increases behavior

Negative PunishmentNegative Punishment Something removed Something removed decreases behaviordecreases behavior

See Operant Behavior in See Operant Behavior in words of Skinner:words of Skinner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ctJqjlrHAv=I_ctJqjlrHA

Skinner and Programmed LearningSkinner and Programmed Learning“Teaching Machines”“Teaching Machines”

Goal: To expedite learning and reduce Goal: To expedite learning and reduce contingencies that may limit it. This is contingencies that may limit it. This is contradictory Instrumentscontradictory Instruments

Programming vs Order of the subjectProgramming vs Order of the subjectReinforcement and Stimulus Reinforcement and Stimulus

Affective learning. Effective praising is Affective learning. Effective praising is “self-satisfying”“self-satisfying”

““The humanist who induces, emulates and is enthusiastic about The humanist who induces, emulates and is enthusiastic about getting students to learn is controlling the student as the person who getting students to learn is controlling the student as the person who designs and programs a machine” - Skinnerdesigns and programs a machine” - Skinner

Skinner and Programmed LearningSkinner and Programmed Learning“Teaching Machines”“Teaching Machines”

Visited his daughter’s class Visited his daughter’s class and….and….

The Student answers The Student answers questions and rewarded.questions and rewarded.

““Teaching is out of date if the Teaching is out of date if the teacher is the only reinforcer”teacher is the only reinforcer”

Skinner country Skinner country dishwashers and the like for dishwashers and the like for mechanized classroomsmechanized classrooms

Human Culture and BehaviorHuman Culture and Behavior

Culture should be reinforced:Culture should be reinforced:Priming: Show the students what to doPriming: Show the students what to doPrompting: Supply part of the answer as Prompting: Supply part of the answer as

encouragement/mastery/completionencouragement/mastery/completionVanishing: Covering with plastic pocketsVanishing: Covering with plastic pockets““Evangeline-Long Fellow”Evangeline-Long Fellow”Read erase letters read completely Read erase letters read completely

erase all letters read it completely! erase all letters read it completely!

Human Culture and BehaviorHuman Culture and Behavior

In his view there are: continuous, interval In his view there are: continuous, interval and ratio reinforcements.and ratio reinforcements.

In 1972 Skinner said:In 1972 Skinner said:

“ “I am the person most concerned with I am the person most concerned with controlling”controlling”

ReferencesReferences

Bjork, Daniel W. “B.F. Skinner, a life”., Harper Bjork, Daniel W. “B.F. Skinner, a life”., Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1993Collins Publishers, New York, 1993

Evans, J. Richard. “The Man and his Ideas”., E.P. Evans, J. Richard. “The Man and his Ideas”., E.P. Duttout Co., Inc. New York, 1968Duttout Co., Inc. New York, 1968

Morris, K. Edward & Tood, T. James. “Modern Morris, K. Edward & Tood, T. James. “Modern Perspectives on B.F. Skinner and Contemporary Perspectives on B.F. Skinner and Contemporary Behaviorism”., Greenwood Press, Westport, Behaviorism”., Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut-London, 1995Connecticut-London, 1995