B.F. Skinner

1. B.F. Skinner  Meghan Cheloni

2. What's Going On? • The Spanish American War ended, America considered Nation of power • Erie Railroad • Automobiles- 1909 Susquehanna first automobile • Progressive Era 

3. The Birth of B.F. Skinner  • March 20, 1904 – Burrhus Fredick Skinner was born in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania  • Parents William and Grace Skinner • Brother: Edward (Ebbie) • When Fred was born there were newspaper headlines reading "Susquehanna has a new law firm, 'Wm. A. Skinner & Son.'"

4. Fred as a Kid  • Creating Inventions- Problem with hanging up pajamas • Fred and his little brother, Ebbie were opposites • The idea of boxes were introduced 

5. Fred in High School  • Loved Music  • Found school extremely boring  • Excelled in every subject  • One of Fred teachers told him before graduating, " You were born to be a leader of men. I just want to say one thing. Never forget the value of human life". (P. 26) 

6. College Years  • Hamilton College in Clinton, New York • Placed emphasis on writing and public speaking  • Wanted to become a writer  • Interested in an Anatomy and Embryology class

7. Death of Ebbie • Fred was home for spring break in, 1923   • Fred, Ebbie, and a friend went to get ice cream • Died of Cerebral Hemorrhage at 16 • Fred felt detached as he watched his brother die

8. Dark Year (1926) • Actually 18 months • Interested in writers who were influenced by behaviorist philosophy • Had no secure paying job, which made it harder to have a high self- esteem  • Socially uncomfortable  • Death of Grandfather 

9. Harvard  • 1928, Started Graduate Program at Harvard • Wanted to change from Psychology to Physiology • The Skinner Box was introduced 

10. The Growth of Skinner  • Behaviorism began to grow on campus in 1929-1930 • Considered a "Serious Threat" to traditional psychologies by Edwin Boring • Fred wrote his dissertation on "The Concept of the Reflex"  • Boring wrote a 5 page criticism on it 

11. Fred S. Keller  • Convinced Skinner to continue psychology  • Told Skinner, "He could make a science out of the study of behavior and still get his doctorate in psychology" (P.83). • Keller took a little longer than Skinner to accept behavioral psychology 

12. Behavior of Organism  • First book Skinner published • Published in 1938  • In the book the idea of behavioral psychology was introduced • Talked about the behavior and conditioning of the rat  • Received a lot of negative feedback  • He did also receive positive responses too 

13. Love Life • Was known as a womanizer • However, did not have much luck finding the right women  • He met a woman, Ruth Cook who he called Nedda • His luck turned in 1936, when he met Yvonne Blue who went by Eve 

14. Yvonne Blue (Eve)  • Had hopes for literary career • They met July 22, 1936 – shortly after they were engaged  • Yvonne called off the engagement  • November 1, 1937- they were married  • Their marriage was rocky  • They had two girls; Julie (1938) and Deborah (1944) 

15. Timeline of Teaching  • Graduated from Harvard with his PhD in, 1931 • Stayed at Harvard as a researcher until 1936 • In 1936, began working at the University of Minnesota  • 1946-1947, Chair of the Psychology Department at Indiana University  • Returned as a Professor at Harvard from 1948, Until he retired in 1974

16. University of Minnesota • " My position here is all that could be desired. My teaching duties are light, my students interesting, and I have all the facilities for research that I need" (P.120)  • Skinner began to break out of his shell • People wanted him to talk about human behavior  • Project Pigeon

17. Project Pigeon • In 1940, while on a train to a conference Skinner had an idea, "Suddenly I saw them as 'devices' with excellent vision and extraordinary maneuverability" (P.122). • The project started in 1940 and in May of 1941 it was discontinued. • After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the project was opened up again 

18. Aircrib  • Baby Tender, Baby Box, Heir Crib, Aircrib • Designed environment to reinforce mother child relationship • Negative associations on the name  • Raised Deborah in it • While many bought the crib, it was not popular.

19. Walden 2- Summary • "The population of Walden Two is about one thousand people, all of whom seem to be healthy and happy. They live in communal dwellings, eat in common dining spaces, raise their children in a communal nursery, and grow and build much of what they need. The standard workday lasts only four hours, or less; no one is paid wages--but nothing at Walden Two costs money." 

20. Walden 2  • Solution to Eve's unhappiness • Many people did not enjoy this book • After WWII many identified the book with Nazi's  • Brought to life • Book sales slow • Los Horcones & Twin Oaks

21. Teaching Machine • Debbie was the inspiration • The results were what Skinner hoped for • Skinner removed his name

22. Beyond Freedom and Dignity  • "Beyond Freedom and Dignity urges us to reexamine the ideals we have taken for granted and to consider the possibility of a radically behaviorist approach to human problems--one that has appeared to some incompatible with those ideals, but which envisions the building of a world in which humankind can attain its greatest possible achievements."

23. Beyond Freedom and Dignity  • The final outrage • Leads to impoverish future, if one at all • Compared to dictators  • He "wanted behavioral science to free America from this historical predicament" (p.211). 

24. Last Years of Skinner  • 8 days before he died he received,  American Psychological Association's Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Psychology • August 18, 1990- Leukemia • Julie became a behaviorist • Deborah did behavioral work with porpoises but, did not continue down the path 

25. Discussion Question #1 " Some view him as a reductive, mechanistic behavioral scientist who denied the existence of a creative, purposeful mind or an inner person free to choose and accept responsibility for one's actions" (xi) "Skinner was the Darth Vader of American psychology" (xi) Do you agree or disagree? Why?

26. Discussion Question #2 What do you think about the idea of using pigeons in a war? 

27. References • B.F. Skinner. (2016, January 20). Retrieved February 21, 2018, from https://www.biography.com/people/bf-skinner-9485671 • Biography . (n.d.). Retrieved March 12, 2018, from http://www.massey.ac.nz/~wwpapajl/evolution/assign2/CM/bio.html • Bjork, D. W. (2006). B. F. Skinner a life. Washington: APA.  • Keller, Fred S. (n.d.). Retrieved March 12, 2018, from https://behavioranalysishistory.pbworks.com/w/page/2039979/Keller%2C%20Fred%20S • Project Pigeon and “Organic” Guidance. (2015, January 23). Retrieved March 12, 2018, from http://futureforce.navylive.dodlive.mil/2015/01/project-pigeon/ • Rod, K. (n.d.). Psychology Skinner Box. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from http://aboutintivar.com/cHN5Y2hvbG9neSBza2lubmVyIGJveA/ • Skinner, B., I., J., Graff, E., Saleh, A., D., . . . K. (n.d.). Beyond Freedom and Dignity. Retrieved March 14, 2018, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55987.Beyond_Freedom_and_Dignity • SKINNER early years. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2018, from http://www.skeptically.org/skinner/id2.html • Walden Two. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2018, from http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/walden2/summary/