B.F Skinner Legacy on Human Behavior
Introduction
B.F. Skinner was one of the most influential person among the American psychologists. As one of the best behaviorist, he developed the theory of operant conditioning. The operant conditioning which sometimes can be referred as the instrumental conditioning is a method of learning that employs rewards and punishment of one’s behavior (Akpan, 2020). The operant conditioning links one’s behavior with the corresponding consequence whether negative or positive consequences; be reinforcements or consequences. Skinner urged that the consequences of a response one gives greatly determine the probability of it being repeated twice or many times (Akpan, 2020). Through the reinforcement behavior which is rewarded he believed that internal or subjective mental processes is not the correct scientific way of approaching psychology but only studying behavior is the only approach one can use in fields that need constructive reasoning such as psychology.
He further explained that the organism is in the main process of operating on the environment which refers it is bouncing around its world. During this process, the organism encounters a special kind of stimulus well known as the reinforcing stimulus which has the effect of increasing the operant (Li, & Zhang, 2017). He conducted many research concerning the shaping behavior through both negative and positive reinforcement and the research proved the availability or the truth behind the operant conditioning (Yang, & Johnston, 2019). Since Skinner coming up with this idea of operant condition, a lot have been done by other scholars to make the ideas more appealing and more factual. The idea of skinner of operant conditioning of human behavior was to put the subject on a program with steps. This program design was designing a program that will assist the subject to reach their target audience (Vargas, 2017). After the program is designed and it works completely fine in the sense of enabling the subject meet the target people, the program needed implementation and evaluation so as the program can be put in use. Skinner is regarded as the father of the theory of operant conditioning, but his ideas are based on Thorndike’s law of effect.
Since the introduction of this idea, Skinner’s operant conditioning has been used in almost all the field of education. The operant conditioning has practical applications on the day to day life of a normal human being. Parents and guardians who are well conversant with the operant conditioning can instill the same to their children (Vargas, 2017). One can use the concept in making sure the children are growing up in good moral values. Parents can reinforce good behavior by encouraging and rewarding children observing them and at the same time they can punish the bad behavior (Vargas, 2017). Guardians can apply the concept of discrimination and generalization to teach these children which behaviors need to be followed and which ones are not good to deceit away from. In schools, teachers do enforce rules and regulations of the institution by simply punishing the wrong doers and in many developed schools, students with good moral values are awarded (Akpan, 2020). Another simply application of Skinner’s operant conditioning in schools is the act of rewarding the exemplary students. Students who perform excellent in academics are appreciated with gifts and rewards to motivate them for the good work done. On the other hand, those who fail are told to bring their parents so as they can chat way forward of the student. In schools one can realize that those students who are awarded get motivated and they always do all their best so that they can get awarded next time. Students who fail and their parents called do work hard next exam so hat to avoid shame of calling your parent after every exam (Akpan, 2020).
These instances are pure applications of Skinner’s operant conditioning. Companies also apply this concept. Majority of firms apply the concept of lottery to improve the attendance, productivity, minimization of time and higher probability of job safety among the workers. Managers do motivate their workers by increasing the salaries of those hardworking and by thanking them for the good job done (Li, & Zhang, 2017). Workers who always come late, do not work hard or are lazy end up being fired. They use the operant conditioning by motivating hardworking employees and firing lazy workers. In the field of psychology, the concept is also used. Psychologists under the branch of behavior therapy apply this concept in their day to day activities. Therapists in charge of behavior correction apply the core concepts and principles of operant conditioning to treat people who are struggling with behavior problems in their lives or those with psychological challenges (Li, & Zhang, 2017). They usually use shaping skills which are the core concept of Skinner in teaching skilss necessary in the job market to those people with mental health . They also apply the reinforcement techniques in teaching basic skills for self care to these people with this illness (Li, & Zhang, 2017). They also apply punishment and commanding language to condemn bad behaviors. Psychologists also apply the concepts of operant conditioning to treat sexual problems, over spending or impulsive spending, sleeping and eating problems, marital challenges among different people, drugs and substance abuse, and other challenges affecting them.
Operant conditioning has come up with a platform for solving a lot of problems of human behaviors. Though these principles were initiated through research, they are now used to even motivate slow learners and unmotivated students to quickly grasp content (Yang, & Johnston, 2019). As said earlier, the field of psychology is the area that has benefitted a lot from these concepts. The first instance that shows indeed the field has benefitted a lot from Skinner’s ideas is behavior modification. Behavior modification refers to the application operant conditioning ideas to modify ones behavior (Yang, & Johnston, 2019). This helps people with behavioral challenges to fully change their habits. Some of those behaviors that are modified are abnormal increase in weight, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and aggression among many others. A good examples concerning behavioral modification are for instance people with eating disorder have been assisted in increasing their weight and there are animals that were trained to feed and taking care of physically disabled people. The concepts have been a success in child care systems, schools and other institutions.
Another example in psychology is therapeutic. Therapeutic use the Skinner’s concepts in accomplishing the demands of the people (Yang, & Johnston, 2019).
A research carried out by the University of Chicago conducted in a hospital with people who has mental challenges that psychiatric Patients who are having some difficulties in performing daily behavior. The researcher came up with a number of daily behavior such as combing ones hair, brushing teeth and taking bath. The researcher then started giving out token inform of drinks, food and personal items to each of these patients who perform any of the activities. Those who performed one activity were awarded one token, those conducted two activities awarded with two tokens and so on and so forth. The researcher repeated the process for one month. After some months, the researcher noted that whenever he gave out tokens, the patients doubled the frequency of undertaking these daily activities (Yang, & Johnston, 2019). The patients increased the frequency of the desired behaviors when enforced with token suggests the presence Skinner’s concepts.
Many scholars have indicated the possibility of using Skinner's principles in the day to day activities. The principles of operant conditioning can be used efficiently to control the society we live in. If parents are applying Skinner’s concepts in bringing up their children means that after some hew years the society will be full of people with good behavior (Li, & Zhang, 2017). Skinner's novel, Walden two presented a society which was guided by the operant conditioning principles and core values. He further published another book in 1971 urging people to fully adopt these principles in the real life situations (Li, & Zhang, 2017). Though majority of people oppose Skinner’s ideas, his concepts are used all over the world in each field of science.
We have seen how Skinner’s ideas of operant conditioning are applied in all the fields. In our homes, parents can instill discipline to their children by punishing bad behavior and rewarding those children observing good behaviors. In schools teachers can use these concepts to make sure rules and regulations are adhered to and at the same time making students work extra harder to achieve their academic goals. We have also seen how these concepts are greatly used in the field of psychology. In psychology, they can be used in therapeutic, they can also be used by posologists and in behavior modification. We can therefore say that Skinner left legacy that is benefiting all of the people. The legacy which is developed everyday by other scholars to make it effective all the time.
References
Akpan, B. (2020). Classical and Operant Conditioning—Ivan Pavlov; Burrhus Skinner. In Science Education in Theory and Practice (pp. 71-84). Springer, Cham. Retrieved: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-43620-9_6
Li, R., & Zhang, Z. (2017). Complementary Application of Classical Conditioning & Operant Conditioning in Teaching and learning Chinese as a Second Language in US---Taking GSU as an example. Retrieved: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/seccll/2017/2017/50/
Vargas, J. (2017). From operant conditioning to selection by consequences. Interação em Psicologia, 20(3). Retrieved: https://revistas.ufpr.br/psicologia/article/download/49113/31264
Yang, N., & Johnston, A. (2019). The Application of Operant Conditioning Theory in Employees’ IS Security Behavioral Management. Retrieved: https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2019/cyber_security_privacy_ethics_IS/cyber_security_privacy/35/
