You are here

The Psychology of B F Skinner
Share
Share

The Psychology of B F Skinner


Other Titles in:
Behavioral

April 2001 | 296 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Behaviourists, or more precisely Skinnerians, commonly consider Skinner's work to have been misrepresented, misunderstood, and to some extent defamed. In this book, the author clarifies the work of B F Skinner, and puts it into historical and philosophical context. Though not a biography, the book discusses Skinner himself, in brief. But the bulk of the book illuminates Skinner's contributions to psychology, his philosophy of science, his experimental research programme (logical positivism) and the behavioural principles that emerged from it, and applied aspects of his work. It also rebuts criticism of Skinner's work, including radical behaviourism, and discusses key developments by others that have derived from it.

As such, the book is a text on behaviourism, rather than on Skinner.

 
Introduction
 
B F Skinner
The Man

 
 
Skinner's Intellectual Influences
 
Skinner's Philosophy of a Science of Human Behaviour
Radical Behaviorism

 
 
Operant Conditioning and the Experimental Analysis of Behaviour
 
Skinner on Cognition
 
Skinner on Language
 
Applied Behavior Analysis
 
B F Skinner
Expert Self-Manager

 
 
Skinner's Views on Bettering Society
 
Criticisms of Skinner
 
Skinner's Legacy
 
B F Skinner's Published Works

"O’Donohue and Ferguson provide an exceptionally clear picture of the breadth, scientific importance, and value to society of the work of the late B.F. Skinner. They include reasons that his work has been criticized and misunderstood. A substantial index, an attractive cover and typeface, and a readable style are bonuses to this exceptionally well-researched, accurate, and fair description of Skinner’s work. All collections." 

Choice

"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."
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD

Michael Clayton
Southern Illinios University
The Psychological Record

This text has been adopted by Capella University

Ms Patty Weigand
Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Capella University
July 2, 2014

For instructors

Select a Purchasing Option

SAGE Knowledge is the premier social sciences platform for SAGE and CQ Press book, reference and video content.

The platform allows researchers to cross-search and seamlessly access a wide breadth of must-have SAGE book and reference content from one source.