Skinnerian for Dummies

Skinnerian is an adjective that is used to describe something related to or influenced by the ideas or theories of B.F. Skinner, a famous American psychologist. Now, you might be wondering who B.F. Skinner is and what his ideas were all about. Well, let me tell you! Imagine you have a pet dog, and you want to teach it a new trick like rolling over. You might use treats or rewards to motivate your dog to perform the desired behavior. This idea of using rewards or punishments to shape or change behaviors is at the core of Skinner's theories.

Skinner believed that our behavior is influenced by the consequences of our actions. So, if we receive a positive consequence, like a reward or praise, we are more likely to repeat that behavior in the future. On the other hand, if we experience a negative consequence, like punishment or criticism, we are less likely to engage in that behavior again. Skinner's approach is often referred to as "operant conditioning," which basically means that our behavior is shaped and controlled by the consequences of our actions.

Now, getting back to the word "Skinnerian," when we say something is "Skinnerian," we mean that it is associated with or influenced by Skinner's ideas of operant conditioning. It can be used to describe theories, experiments, or even teaching methods that follow the principles of Skinner's work. For example, if a teacher uses a rewards system in the classroom to encourage students to participate more, we can say that the teacher is using a Skinnerian approach.

So, in summary, "Skinnerian" is an adjective that means something is related to or influenced by the ideas of B.F. Skinner, who believed that behavior is shaped by the consequences of our actions. It is often used to describe theories, experiments, or teaching methods that follow the principles of operant conditioning, where rewards and punishments are used to shape behavior. Understanding this word helps us know when a certain idea or practice is rooted in Skinner's influential work.