B. F. Skinner (1904–1990) was an American psychologist who pioneered the field of behavior analysis and developed the philosophy of radical behaviorism. Skinner is widely known for his experimental work with rats and pigeons, the technologies that he developed (e.g., the operant conditioning chamber or Skinner box, schedules of reinforcement), and the philosophy of radical behaviorism, which underlies and unifies the basic and applied work of behavior analysts. He expanded the scope of his science and philosophy to issues of human culture and survival, spawning the application of his behavioral science to improve the human condition.
At the heart of Skinner’s contribution is operant conditioning, which focuses on the influence of consequences on behavior. As a tool to understand behavior, Skinner developed the concept of the three-term contingency, consisting of the antecedent, the behavior, and the.
