B.F. Skinner
Burrhus Frederic Skinner, better known as B.F. Skinner, was born in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, on March 20, 1904. Skinner had an interest in different types of machines at a very early age. He enjoyed flying kites and playing with model airplanes. This early interest in machines would develop into a passion later in life. Despite his love of things mechanical, as an undergraduate at Hamilton College in New York; B.F. Skinner majored in English and minored in languages. He would eventually earn his bachelor’s degree in 1926 from Hamilton College (Skinner, 2013).
After graduation, Skinner spent some time writing poetry and stories. He eventually came to the realization that writing was not his strong suit. Through his readings, Skinner became interested in human behavior. He was particularly attracted to the work of John Watson. “John Broadus Watson is widely regarded as the founder of the behaviorist school of psychology" (Watson 2013). Psychology became Skinner’s new passion. He attended graduate school at Harvard University where he would receive a Ph.D. in psychology in 1931. He remained at Harvard for five more years, where he conducted research in experimental psychology (Elliot 2013). He would develop, "Skinner's Box", which was a device used to test his theory of "operant conditioning" using rats and pigeons. In 1936, Skinner would go to the University of Minnesota to teach psychology. In 1938, he would write his book called, "The Behavior of Organisms", in which he explained the results of his work with animals (Rachlin, 2013). In 1945, he was chosen to head the psychology department at Indiana University. Skinner went back to Harvard in 1947 and would become a full professor. In 1948, he would write his book, "Walton Two", which dealt with a communal or Utopian likestyles. Skinner would apply his theories to education and to society in general. Skinners interests in mechanical devices continued in his later life. He developed a "teaching machine" to support his idea of "programmed instruction" (McNeil, 2013) He would eventually retire from Harvard in 1974. Even though he was retired as a teaching professor, Skinner would continue to conduct experiments, lecture, and write about his work in behavioral psychology.
After graduation, Skinner spent some time writing poetry and stories. He eventually came to the realization that writing was not his strong suit. Through his readings, Skinner became interested in human behavior. He was particularly attracted to the work of John Watson. “John Broadus Watson is widely regarded as the founder of the behaviorist school of psychology" (Watson 2013). Psychology became Skinner’s new passion. He attended graduate school at Harvard University where he would receive a Ph.D. in psychology in 1931. He remained at Harvard for five more years, where he conducted research in experimental psychology (Elliot 2013). He would develop, "Skinner's Box", which was a device used to test his theory of "operant conditioning" using rats and pigeons. In 1936, Skinner would go to the University of Minnesota to teach psychology. In 1938, he would write his book called, "The Behavior of Organisms", in which he explained the results of his work with animals (Rachlin, 2013). In 1945, he was chosen to head the psychology department at Indiana University. Skinner went back to Harvard in 1947 and would become a full professor. In 1948, he would write his book, "Walton Two", which dealt with a communal or Utopian likestyles. Skinner would apply his theories to education and to society in general. Skinners interests in mechanical devices continued in his later life. He developed a "teaching machine" to support his idea of "programmed instruction" (McNeil, 2013) He would eventually retire from Harvard in 1974. Even though he was retired as a teaching professor, Skinner would continue to conduct experiments, lecture, and write about his work in behavioral psychology.