Reference
- B. F. Skinner: Credo ReferenceB. F. (Burrhus Frederic) Skinner was born in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. As a youth, he showed talent for music and writing, as well as mechanical aptitude. He attended Hamilton College as an English major, with the goal of becoming a professional writer. After graduation, Skinner was discouraged about his literary prospects and became interested in behavioristic psychology after reading the works of John Watson and Ivan Pavlov. He entered Harvard University as a graduate student in psychology in 1928 and received his degree three years later. Skinner remained at Harvard through 1936, by which time he was a junior fellow of the prestigious Society of Fellows. While at Harvard, Skinner laid the foundation for a new system of behavioral analysis through his research in the field of animal learning, using unique experimental equipment of his own design.
- The B. F. Skinner Foundation
Established in 1988, the B. F. Skinner Foundation promotes the science founded by B. F. Skinner and supports the practices derived from that science. The Foundation advances the understanding that a more humane world is achieved by replacing coercive techniques with positive procedures. We connect scholars, students, and the general public through our magazine, Operants. The Foundation’s online and physical archives have a wealth of material from Skinner’s literary estate, from donations by his colleagues and students, and by family members. The Foundation promotes new research and continues to maintain contact with professionals and students worldwide who are former students, or colleagues of B. F. Skinner or individuals interested in his work. The Foundation is also the prime contact for permissions for reproducing Skinner material or for translations of Skinner’s works.”
Online Resources
- B.F. Skinner and the Metaphysics of DarwinismB. F. Skinner viewed behaviorism not as the science of behavior, but a philosophy of that science. Such philosophizing is a legitimate part of a scientist’s investigative behavior. He sought to eliminate confusion and error by getting rid of objectionable posits such as homunculi, vital forces, intentionalities, purposes and essences, sticking to overt behavior and spurning “mentalism.” Skinner believed that there are hard analogies between learning and natural selection, such that what is appropriate in the study of one may be appropriate in the study of the other. Dispensing with teleology is but one example. Where there is selection by consequences, variation has to be taken seriously.
- The long good-bye: why B.F. Skinner's Verbal Behavior is alive and well on the 50th anniversary of its publicationThe year 2007 marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of B.F.Skinner's Verbal Behavior, a book that by Skinner's own account was his most important. The received view, however, is that a devastating review by a young linguist not only rendered Skinner's interpretation of language moot but was also a major factor in ending the hegemony of behaviorism in psychology and paving the way for a cognitive revolution. Nevertheless, in taking stock of Verbal Behavior and behaviorism, both appear to be thriving. This article suggests that Verbal Behavior and behaviorism remain vital partly because they have generated successful practical applications.
- On certain similarities between mainstream psychology and the writings of B.F. SkinnerSelected writings of B. F. Skinner are compared to 5 current topics in main-stream psychology, including the role of the unconscious, human language, the role of dispositions in psychology, human perceptions of conformity and bias, and mindfulness. The striking similarities between Skinner's work and these 5 current topics support Richelle's (1993) prediction that psychologists may eventually discover that Skinner was a forerunner in the theory and practice of psychology.
Streaming Media
- B.F. Skinner: A Fresh AppraisalOther than Freud, no psychologist has been so discussed, critiqued, and, at times, maligned as B. F. Skinner. Using both archival and newer film, this program takes a penetrating look at who Skinner was and what he really said in his 20 books. Skinner’s specialized terminology is introduced in context so students will understand how it was intended to be used and the research that produced it. In addition, the video lays to rest some myths and credits Skinner with contributions not often attributed to him. Murray Sidman, a colleague of Skinner’s and thoughtful practitioner of behavioral analysis, narrates. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. A part of the series Giants of Psychology. (41 minutes)
- His Own Best Subject: A Visit to B.F. Skinner’s BasementB.F. Skinner applied his unique behavioral principles to his own life. In this film, his daughter, Julie Vargas, gives us a tour of the basement study in which he wrote many of his books and articles. Skinner developed wonderfully ingenious gadgets designed to enhance his workspace, and he created clever ways of organizing the writing that was the central focus of the SKINNER WITH PIGEONS last decades of his life.
Perspectives
E. O. Wilson and B. F. Skinner
Reviewers have characterized Paul Naour's A Dialogue Between Sociobiology and Radical Behaviorism, which includes brief introductions by E.O. Wilson and B.F. Skinner's elder daughter, Julie Vargus, as an idea book. The work will undoubtedly have a significant academic market and provide students and scholars in biology, ethology, psychology, anthropology, sociology and economics a strong foundation in twentieth century history and systems. Praise for A Dialogue Between Sociobiology and Radical Behaviorism: - E.O. Wilson says of the book: ". . . excellent, an outstanding addition to the history of ideas. It will put Fred Skinner back in the pantheon and, providing context, serve as an excellent introduction to the content and central truths in radical behaviorism. Needless to say, I'm also grateful to have my work following Sociobiology given proper attention." -David Sloan Wilson, author of Darwin's Cathedral writes: "E.O. Wilson and B.F. Skinner agreed that the human capacity for change is both a product of genetic evolution and an evolutionary process in its own right. Yet, the paradigms of sociobiology and radical behaviorism went in very different directions. Paul Naour's insightful analysis of a taped conversation between Wilson and Skinner goes beyond the historical significance of the conversation and helps to integrate the two paradigms for the future." -Carl Haywood writes: "The present question is whether evolution by natural selection is a useful set of concepts for the development of psychology. Naour's proposed confluence of radical behaviorism and sociobiology suggests not only that it is, but also that radical behaviorism shares with sociobiology a debt and an allegiance to Darwinism."
The Legacy of B. F. Skinner
In this clear and concise book, Robert D. Nye takes readers on a fascinating exploration of the basic concepts that underlie B.F. Skinner's often misinterpreted work.
Skinner for the Classroom
This book provides a representative collection of some of B.F. Skinner's best-known papers. Each paper begins with an editor's note and concludes with a postscript by Dr. Skinner. The collection focuses on Skinner's laboratory work, several of his major theories, and applications of his principles in animal training, education, and child rearing. The book also includes a brief autobiography and a complete bibliography of Skinner's published works.