CHILD DEVELOPMENTAL THEORISTS
BF SKINNER
Skinner's Theory
Skinner called his particular brand of behaviorism "Radical" Behaviorism.Radical behaviorism is the philosophy of the science of behavior, it seeks to understand behavior as a function of environmental histories of reinforcing consequences.He was best known for his intellectual research
How does it relate to teaching children?
Skinner influenced education as well as psychology. In Skinner’s view, education has two major purposes: (1) to teach repertoires of both verbal and nonverbal behavior; and (2) to encourage students to display an interest in instruction. He endeavored to bring students’ behavior under the control of the environment by reinforcing it only when particular stimuli were present. Because he believed that human behavior could be affected by small consequences, something as simple as “the opportunity to move forward after completing one stage of an activity” could prove reinforcing . Skinner favored active learning in the sense that students were not merely passive recipients of information doled out by teachers. He was convinced that a student had to take action; “to acquire behavior, the student must engage in behavior”
BF Skinner Facts
BF Skinner
Skinner was born in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania to William and Grace Skinner. His father was a lawyer. He became an atheist after a liberal Christian teacher tried to assuage his fear of the Hell that his grandmother described
BF Skinner
In 1936, Skinner married Yvonne Blue. The couple had two daughters, Julie (m. Vargas) and Deborah (m. Buzan). He died of leukemia on August 18, 1990, and is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts
BF Skinner
A controversial figure, Skinner has been depicted in many different ways. He has been called evil, hateful, but also warm and enthusiastic. In fact, his personality seems to have been quite similar to that of other creative scientists—highly conscientious and open to experience, but also somewhat neurotic.