Bf skinners biography for kids

Burrhus Frederic Skinner March 20, — August 18, was an American psychologist, behaviorist , inventor, and social philosopher. Skinner developed behavior analysis , especially the philosophy of radical behaviorism , [ 7 ] and founded the experimental analysis of behavior , a school of experimental research psychology. He also used operant conditioning to strengthen behavior, considering the rate of response to be the most effective measure of response strength.

B.f. skinner theory of learning

To study operant conditioning, he invented the operant conditioning chamber aka the Skinner box , [ 8 ] and to measure rate he invented the cumulative recorder. Using these tools, he and Charles Ferster produced Skinner's most influential experimental work, outlined in their book Schedules of Reinforcement. Skinner was a prolific author, publishing 21 books and articles.

Skinner, John B. Watson and Ivan Pavlov , are considered to be the pioneers of modern behaviorism. Accordingly, a June survey listed Skinner as the most influential psychologist of the 20th century. Skinner was born in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania , to Grace and William Skinner, the latter of whom was a lawyer. Skinner became an atheist after a Christian teacher tried to assuage his fear of the hell that his grandmother described.

Skinner's closest friend as a young boy was Raphael Miller, whom he called Doc because his father was a doctor.