Authors
Topics
Lists
Pictures
Resources
More about B. F. Skinner
B. F. Skinner -
Science and human behavior (1951)
6 Sourced Quotes
View all B. F. Skinner Quotes
Source
Report...
When we say that a man controls himself, we must specify who is controlling whom.
B. F. Skinner
Source
Report...
Instead of saying that a man behaves because of the consequences which are to follow his behavior, we simply say that he behaves because of the consequences which have followed similar behavior in the past. This is, of course, the Law of Effect or operant conditioning.
B. F. Skinner
Source
Report...
The strengthening of behavior which results from reinforcement is appropriately called "conditioning". In operant conditioning we "strengthen" an operant in the sense of making a response more probable or, in actual fact, more frequent.
B. F. Skinner
Source
Report...
The evolution of cultures appears to follow the pattern of the evolution of species. The many different forms of culture which arise correspond to the "mutations" of genetic theory. Some forms prove to be effective under prevailing circumstances and others not, and the perpetuation of the culture is determined accordingly.
B. F. Skinner
Source
Report...
We have seen that in certain respects operant reinforcement resembles the natural selection of evolutionary theory. Just as genetic characteristics which arise as mutations are selected or discarded by their consequences, so novel forms of behavior are selected or discarded through reinforcement.
B. F. Skinner
Source
Report...
Science is a willingness to accept facts even when they are opposed to wishes.
B. F. Skinner
Quote of the day
Not content to have the audience in the palm of his hand, he goes one further and clinches his fist.
Kenneth Tynan
B. F. Skinner
Creative Commons
Born:
March 20, 1904
Died:
August 18, 1990
(aged 86)
More about B. F. Skinner...
Featured Authors
Lists
Predictions that didn't happen
If it's on the Internet it must be true
Remarkable Last Words (or Near-Last Words)
Picture Quotes
Confucius
Philip James Bailey
Eleanor Roosevelt
Letitia Elizabeth Landon
Popular Topics
life
love
nature
time
god
power
human
mind
work
art
heart
thought
men
day
×
Lib Quotes