Professor Skinner: to explain and control any person's behavior

Berres Frederic Skinner (1904-1990)

• Skinner believed in the infinite possibilities of the conditioned reflex and the method of "carrot and stick". Correctly using positive reinforcement incentive, we are, according to a radical point of view, the Professor will be able to explain and to control any behavior.

• Despite interest in the Sciences, Skinner could not fit into student life. As he admitted later, more likely he was irritated by the activities and mandatory Church attendance. No different large physique of the student pressed in hockey and basketball and were driven along with a herd of classmates to Church on the weekends. Apparently, then, even after reading Darwin and Pavlov, Skinner believed that humans are no different from animals.

• The theoretical work of Skinner has not become so famous if it had not been supported experimentally. One colleague at the University, leaving on a business trip, leaving their rats Skinner. He decided not just to watch them, but actively use in the experiments. The next portion of the food is poor rats were able to press a certain lever in the box, turning the accident into a deliberate action. So were discovered the universal laws of conduct are still relevant.

• You will be surprised, but "Skenderovski box" have experienced not only rats, but also its Creator! Skinner slept in the basement of his house in a yellow plastic container (almost a barrel of Diogenes), observing a strict regime of the day and setting for himself "controlled environment". Positive reinforcement for him was music and writing articles.

• In addition to the main scientific work "the Behavior of organisms" Skinner managed to write and publish the results of his "midlife crisis" novel-utopia "Walden two" about the life of the rural community according to the laws of behaviorism. "A lot of living Walden Two are taken from my own life, confessed Skinner. I let Ie Fraser (the main character works) to say what he did not dare".

• Skinner tried to be not only a writer-"engineer of souls", but also a social engineer, for example, training people with the aid of specially created machines. His ideas would liking Twoness and Threeness, because in the opinion of Skinner, the proportion of wrong answers when working with vehicles should not exceed 5% to avoid missing positive reinforcement. Tests are always at 95% and 100%, just imagine!

• The concept of "programmed learning" by Skinner was influenced by... the creation of numerous computer games and simulators. After obtaining a new level or award — nothing more than a virtual "food", more addictive to the game.

• In 1972 was recognized as the outstanding psychologist of the XX century by the American psychological Association, beating in the list of candidates .... Freud! The great psychoanalyst, is also popular in America, got only second place.

• One of the last papers by Skinner, written at age 78, was called "How to maintain intellect in old age". In a recent interview with leukaemia Professor bravely answered the provocative question of a journalist about the death: "No, I don't believe in God, so do not fear it."

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P. S. And remember, just changing your mind — together we change the world! ©

Source: nlp-dhe.livejournal.com/10889.html