Grout: The Box

psychologist Harry Harlow and infant monkeys taken from their mothers

Psychologist B.F. Skinner designed these “air cribs”. Parents didn't have to work so hard, but some things were missing.

Skinner coined the term operant conditioning; it means roughly changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement which is given after the desired response. Skinner identified three types of responses or operant that can follow behavior.

• Neutral operants: responses from the environment that neither increase nor decrease the probability of a behavior being repeated.

• Reinforcers: Responses from the environment that increase the probability of a behavior being repeated. Reinforcers can be either positive or negative.

• Punishers: Response from the environment that decrease the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Punishment weakens behavior.

SimplyPsychology
Skinner - Operant Conditioning

by Saul McLeod published 2007

Skinner on Vegetative Idiots. Start at 2:22 if you're just intrigued by the term VI's.