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