B.F. Skinner
Psychologist
Name at birth: Burrhus Frederic Skinner
B.F. Skinner was one of the 20th century's most famous psychologists, known for his emphasis on behaviorism. After earning a doctorate in 1931 he built on the conditioned response theories of Ivan Pavlov. A professor at Harvard University for many years, Skinner authored several books, including The Behavior of Organisms (1938), Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971) and the novel Walden Two (1948). He developed the "air-crib," a modified crib designed to take care of infants' needs, and the Skinner box, a laboratory device for animal experimentation, designed to study responses to external stimuli.
Extra credit: The story that Skinner raised his own daughter in a box is untrue.
Four Good Links
The B.F. Skinner Foundation
The non-profit organization that continues his work
Urban Legends: The Skinner Box
Brief debunking of long-held rumors of Skinner's parenting
B.F. Skinner: An Autobiography
He briefly recounts his upbringing
B.F. Skinner
Biographical background and information on behavior modification
Vital Stats
Birth
Birthplace
Death
Best Known As
The behaviorist who invented the Skinner Box
