Behaviorism

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Behaviorism

• B. F. Skinner

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B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)
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B. F. Skinner (1904-1990) Skinners life
Predetermined, lawful, and orderly
A product of past reinforcements 1925
Hamilton College (NY) degree in English, no
courses in psychology Read about Pavlovs and
Watsons experimental work 1931 Ph.D. from
Harvard
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B. F. Skinner Dealt only with observable
behavior The task of scientific inquiry To
establish functional relationships between
experimenter-controlled stimulus and organisms
response No presumptions about internal
entities - The "empty organism" approach
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B. F. Skinner Single subject design
Large numbers of subjects not necessary
Statistical comparisons of group means not
necessary A single subject provides
valid and replicable results
Requires "sufficient" data collected under
well- controlled experimental conditions
Statistics obscure individual responses and
differences
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B. F. Skinner Operant behavior occurs without
an observable external stimulus
Operates on the organisms environment
The behavior is instrumental in securing a
stimulus more representative of everyday learning
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B. F. Skinner Science of behavior Study of
conditioning and extinction of operants
Dependent variable in the "Skinner box" rate of
response Law of acquisition
key variable reinforcement
practice provides opportunities for
additional reinforcement Differs from
Thorndike and Hulls positions
Thorndike and Hull explanatory
Skinner strictly descriptive
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Skinners Theory

• All we need to know in order to describe and
  explain behavior is this actions followed by
  good outcomes are likely to recur , and actions
  followed by bad outcomes are less likely to
  recur. (Skinner, 1953)

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Central Human Motive in Skinners Theory

• Environmental consequences shape behavior

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LAW OF EFFECT

• Behavior Better state Increased
• of affairs probability of
  behavior occurring again
• Behavior Worse state Decreased
• of affairs probability of
  behavior occurring again
• Behavior A
• Behavior B
• Behavior C Better state Behavior C
• Behavior D of affairs emerges as the
• Behavior E most probable

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Laboratory Examples
Operant Conditioning
Exploring Scratching Key-pecking Grooming Defecati
ng Urinating
Pigeon
Reinforcement
(food pellet)
(in a Skinner box)
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OPERANT CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES

• POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT increasing a behavior by
  administering a reward
• NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT increasing a behavior by
  removing an aversive stimulus when a behavior
  occurs
• PUNISHMENT decreasing a behavior by
  administering an aversive stimulus following a
  behavior OR by removing a positive stimulus
• EXTINCTION decreasing a behavior by not
  rewarding it

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B. F. Skinner Research foci
Role of punishment in response acquisition
Schedules of reinforcement
Extinction of operants
Secondary reinforcement
Generalization Subjects included humans as
well as animals
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B. F. Skinner Schedules of reinforcement
Reinforcement is necessary in operant
behavior Reinforcement schedules
continuous fixed and
variable ratio and interval
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SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT

• Interval schedules reinforcement occurs after a
  certain amount of time has passed
• Fixed Interval reinforcement is presented after
  a fixed amount of time
• Variable Interval reinforcement is delivered on
  a random/variable time schedule
• Ratio schedules reinforcement occurs after a
  certain number of responses
• Fixed Ratio reinforcement presented after a
  fixed of responses
• Variable Ratio reinforcement delivery is
  variable but based on an overall average of
  responses

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Schedules of Reinforcement
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LIMITED EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT

• Punishment does not teach appropriate behaviors
• Must be delivered immediately consistently
• May result in negative side effects
• Undesirable behaviors may be learned through
  modeling (aggression)
• May create negative emotions (anxiety fear)

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HOW COMPLEX BEHAVIORSARE LEARNED

• Successive approximation/shaping reinforcing
  behaviors as they come to approximate the desired
  behavior
• Superstitious Behavior when persistent
  behaviors are reinforced coincidentally rather
  than functionally
• Self-control of behavior
• Stimulus avoidance
• Self-administered satiation
• Aversive stimulation
• Self-reinforcement

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B. F. Skinner Verbal behavior
Speech Comprised of responses
Can be reinforced by speech sounds or
gestures
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B. F. Skinner Aircribs and teaching
machines 1945 aircrib Teaching
machine invented in the 1920s by
Pressey promoted by Skinner
1968 The Technology of Teaching
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B. F. Skinner Walden Two (1948) A behavioristic
society Program of behavioral control
A technology of behavior Application of
laboratory findings to society at large
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B. F. Skinner Behavior modification
Used in a variety of applied settings
Reinforce desired behavior and extinguish
undesired behavior Punishment is not
used
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B. F. Skinner Criticisms of Skinners
behaviorism His extreme positivism
His opposition to theory His
willingness to extrapolate beyond the data
The narrow range of behavior studied
Problem of instinctive drift His
position on verbal behavior
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B. F. Skinner Contributions of Skinners
behaviorism Shaped American psychology
for 30 years His goal the improvement
of society Srength and ramifications of
his radical behaviorism