Contributions+to+the+World+of+Psychology

__**Contributions to the World of Psychology**__

Since Skinners death in 1990, at least half a dozen major examinations of the life and work of Burrhus Frederic (B. F.) Skinner have been published. The focus tends to be one of two general types: either an appreciation of Skinner the man and his contributions (Bjork, 1993; Wiener, 1996) or a critique and an aid to further understanding of radical behaviorism and the controversies it generated (Todd & Morris, 1992; Nye, 1992). There is little doubt that the reason for continued interest lies in the significant contributions Skinner made to psychology. In fact, an article (Hagbloom et al., 2002) in the Review of General Psychology, using scores on three quantitative and three qualitative variables, showed Skinner to be "the most eminent psychologist of the twentieth century"

The most recent book and subject of this review is O'Donohue and Ferguson's The Psychology of B. F. Skinner (2001). While primarily targeted at academics and students, this text is also of general interest and would be appropriate for anyone interested in B. F. Skinner. Chapters cover Skinner's personal history, intellectual foundation, philosophy of science and experimental analysis of behavior, and contributions to human welfare, among other things. A unique feature is a clear explanation of what the authors consider to be both valid and invalid criticisms of Skinner's work. O'Donohue and Ferguson's goal is to provide a complete exegesis of Skinner's work. The authors believe that to fully understand Skinner's contributions, a reader must grasp the interrelationship among (a) his philosophy of science, (b) his unique research methodology and the regularities that are a consequence of it, and (c) the practical extensions of this philosophy, research methodology, and principles to applied problems. They say that most of the criticism of Skinner was due to a misunderstanding of the original work. In addition to presenting biographical information, O'Donohue and Ferguson outline Skinner's intellectual influences, beginning with Francis Bacon and proceeding to Ernst Mach, Ivan Pavlov, Edward Thorndike, John Watson, and Charles Darwin. While each of the influences is described clearly, the most detailed discussion is reserved for Bacon, Darwin, and Watson. The authors make a detailed case for Bacon's influence and discuss Skinner's incorporation of Darwin's evolutionary principles, especially selection. Watson's Behaviorism was obviously an important influence on Skinner's thinking, but most of the discussion of Watson focuses on his methodological behaviorism and the ways in which it differs from Skinner's radical behaviorism. This section alone is a valuable contribution to the field. The authors provide a 16-point overview of Skinner's philosophical system (radical behaviorism) that covers the goals (prediction and control), subject matter (behavior), basic datum (rate), and more (single subjects, induction, causation, private events, etc.). They also describe how radical behaviorism relates to logical positivism, because the demise of the latter is often given as evidence that the former is no longer relevant. The other half of Skinner's system is operant conditioning and the experimental analysis of behavior. The authors provide a concise overview of the basic principles and methods used by modern behavior analysts, as well as a thorough discussion of the difference between reward and reinforcement and elicited and emitted behavior. Over the course of several chapters, O'Donohue and Ferguson outline what they believe to be Skinner's most important contributions. They cite his analysis of cognition and verbal behavior, providing considerable detail about Verbal Behavior (1957) and the effect of Chomsky's review (1959) of the book itself and radical behaviorism as an ascendant paradigm. Also described are Skinner's applied behavior analysis, self-management techniques, and attempts to improve on societal conditions. Behavior analysis has been used to design treatments for drug abuse, marriage counseling, classroom management, autism and developmental disabilities, weight loss, sports and organizational psychology, animal training, delinquency, and brain injury, to name just a few. Two unique characteristics of B. F. Skinner were his eagerness to apply this science to his own behavior and his desire to create a better world with the same principles he applied in his own life.

Skinner leaves behind a large collection of his work for present and future psychologists to learn and build on. The list of books written by B.F. Skinner are listed below.


 * = **__ Books __** ||= **__Year Published__** ||
 * = About Behaviorism ||= 1974 ||
 * = The Analysis of Behaviour: A Program for Self Instruction ||= 1961 ||
 * = The Behavior of Organisms: An Experimental Analysis  ||= 1938 ||
 * = Beyond Freedom and Dignity  ||= 1971 ||
 * = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Contingencies of Reinforcement: A Theoretical Analysis <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1969 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Cumulative Record: A Selection of Papers <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12px; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; msoansilanguage: EN-CA; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: SimSun; msofareastlanguage: ZH-CN;">1959, 1961, & 1972 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Enjoy Old Age <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1983 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">A Matter of Consequences: Part Three of an Autobiography <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1983 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; msoansilanguage: EN-CA; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: SimSun; msofareastlanguage: ZH-CN;">Notebooks ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1980 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Particulars of My Life: Part One of an Autobiography <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1976 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Recent Issues in the Analysis of Behavior <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1989 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Reflections on Behaviorism and Society <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1978 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; msoansilanguage: EN-CA; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: SimSun; msofareastlanguage: ZH-CN;">Schedules of Reinforcement ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1957 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Sci <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">ence and Human Behavior ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1953 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">The Shaping of a Behaviorist: Part Two of an Autobiography <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1979 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Skinner for the Classroom <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1982 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">The Technology of Teaching <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1968 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Upon Further Reflection <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1987 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Verbal Behaviour <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1957 ||
 * = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; msoansilanguage: EN-CA; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: SimSun; msofareastlanguage: ZH-CN;">Walden Two ||= <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1948 ||