Schedules Of Reinforcement

The contingent relationship between actions and their consequences lies at the heart of Skinner’s experimental analysis of behavior. Particular patterns of behavior emerge depending upon the contingencies established. Ferster and Skinner examined the effects of different schedules of reinforcement on behavior. An extraordinary work, Schedules of Reinforcement represents over 70,000 hours of research primarily with pigeons, though the principles have now been experimentally verified with many species including human beings. At first glance, the book appears to be an atlas of schedules. And so it is, the most exhaustive in existence. But it is also a reminder of the power of describing and explaining behavior through an analysis of measurable and manipulative behavior-environment relations without appealing to physiological mechanisms in the brain. As en exemplar and source for the further study of behavioral phenomena, the book illustrates the scientific philosophy that Skinner and Ferster adopted: that a science is best built from the ground up, from a firm foundation of facts that can eventually be summarized as scientific laws.

This reference work breaks new ground as an electronic resource. Utterly comprehensive, it serves as a repository of knowledge in the field as well as a frequently updated conduit of new material long before it finds its way into standard textbooks.

B. F. Skinner titled this book, Contingencies of Reinforcement, after the heart of his science of behavior. Contingencies relate classes of actions to postcedent events and to the contexts in which those action-postcedent relations occur. The basic processes seem straightforward, but many people do not know or understand the underlying theory. Skinner believed that ‘a theory is essential to the scientific understanding of behavior as a subject matter”. This book presents some of Skinner’s most sophisticated statements about theoretical issues. To his original articles, he added notes to clarify and expand subtle points. The book thus provides an overview of Skinner’s thinking about theory and the philosophy underpinning the science he began.

Did you know that Facebook use can affect grades, and that only about 1% of students in a research study could correctly draw the Apple logo? Written in an engaging style that speaks directly to readers with examples of psychological concepts drawn from daily life, this brief introductory text makes the study of psychology interesting while providing solid grounding in the subject's knowledge base to help you succeed in the course. With built-in learning aids, ESSENTIALS OF PSYCHOLOGY: CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS, 5th Edition features an effective learning system that helps you absorb and remember important information. In MindTap, the text's online learning experience, you'll fine author podcasts and videos that you can access from your smart phone, direct links to TEDTalks, interactive learning activities, cool apps, and more.

2004 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title According to Stephen Ray Flora, reinforcement is a very powerful tool for improving the human condition despite often being dismissed as regarding people as less than human and as "overly simplistic." This book addresses and defends the use of reinforcement principles against a wide variety of attacks. Countering the myths, criticisms, and misrepresentations of reinforcement, including false claims that reinforcement is "rat psychology," the author shows that building reinforcement theory on basic laboratory research is a strength, not a weakness, and allows unlimited applications to human situations as it promotes well-being and productivity. Also examined are reinforcement contingencies, planned or accidental, as they shape behavioral patterns and repertoires in a positive way.

This volume is dedicated to the late B.F. Skinner as a tribute to his pioneering work on the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. This science that he initiated studies the behavior of individual organisms under laboratory conditions. The volume describes a broad collection of representative and effective research techniques in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior; techniques derived solely from infrahuman subjects, which have been selected both for their utility in behavior analysis and for their potential value in expanding the use of behavior analysis in the neurosciences. By bringing together under one cover the expertise of individual authors regarding techniques based on their particular laboratory experiences, the book provides an informative and practical source of methods and techniques for those practising or interested in Experimental Analysis of Behaviour.