“t need to know anything about the brain, we have operant conditioning. And I just never really could accept that. You know, especially after taking Tom Evans”
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B. F. Skinner
Burrhus Frederic Skinner was an American psychologist, behaviorist, inventor, and social philosopher. He was the Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University from 1948 until his retirement in 1974.
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science · American psychologist and social philosopher (1904–1990) · psychologist · philosopher · inventor · ethologist · autobiographer · university teacher · writer · also B. F. Skinner, Burrhus Frederic Skinner, Skinner BF, Burrhus F. Skinner, B.F. Skinner, Skinner
Born 20 March 1904 · Died 18 August 1990 · Q213195
53 published statements · 0 followers
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2026· 2 entries
Indiatimes: Quote of the day by American psychologist B. F. Skinner: “A failure is not always a mistake, it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is ...
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2022· 1 entry
Published “The HITRAN2020 molecular spectroscopic database” in Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer — cited 2,300 times.
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2019· 1 entry
Published “Dulaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes (REWIND): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial” in The Lancet — cited 2,671 times.
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2016· 1 entry
insider.si.edu: Early Teaching Machine of B. F. Skinner
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2013· 1 entry
Published “Commentary: The Materials Project: A materials genome approach to accelerating materials innovation” in APL Materials — cited 12,317 times.
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2010· 1 entry
Psychology Today: B.F. Skinner and the Hopelessness of It All
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2009· 1 entry
Published “Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults” in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise — cited 3,116 times.
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2006· 1 entry
Published “eHEALS: The eHealth Literacy Scale” in Journal of Medical Internet Research — cited 2,414 times.
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2005· 1 entry
Published “Epigenetic Transgenerational Actions of Endocrine Disruptors and Male Fertility” in Science — cited 2,207 times.
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2004· 1 entry
Therapist Lauren Slater repeated a claim that Skinner may have used his baby daughter in some of his experiments
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2001· 2 entries
Published “Radical Cystectomy in the Treatment of Invasive Bladder Cancer: Long-Term Results in 1,054 Patients” in Journal of Clinical Oncology — cited 3,002 times.
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Published “The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): Evidence from Asperger Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism, Males and Females, Scientists and Mathematicians” in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders — cited 5,574 times.
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2000· 1 entry
Snopes rated the claim “Psychologist B. F. Skinner raised his own daughter in a "Skinner box"; as a result, she grew up psychologically damaged, sued her father, and committed suicide.” False.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
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1998· 1 entry
Published “The Cloned Capsaicin Receptor Integrates Multiple Pain-Producing Stimuli” in Neuron — cited 2,664 times.
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1997· 1 entry
And is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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1991· 1 entry
Outstanding Member and Distinguished Professional Achievement Award, Society for Performance Improvement
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1990· 6 entries
Died 1990-08-18.
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Awarded APA Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Psychology (1990).
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“The way positive reinforcement is carried out is more important than the amount.”
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“We shouldn't teach great books; we should teach a love of reading. Knowing the contents of a few works of literature is a trivial achievement. Being inclined to go on reading is a great achievement.”
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“It has always been the task of formal education to set up behavior which would prove useful or enjoyable later in a student's life.”
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“I did not direct my life. I didn't design it. I never made decisions. Things always came up and made them for me. That's what life is.”
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1989· 2 entries
Awarded William James Fellow Award (1989).
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Skinner was diagnosed with leukemia and died on August 18, 1990, in Cambridge, Massachusetts
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1982· 1 entry
Published “The drug abuse screening test” in Addictive Behaviors — cited 2,490 times.
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1981· 1 entry
Skinner pointed out that Darwinian natural selection is, like reinforced behavior, "selection by consequences"
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1978· 1 entry
Distinguished Contributions to Educational Research Award and Development, American Educational Research Association
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1973· 1 entry
Skinner was one of the signers of the Humanist Manifesto II
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1972· 3 entries
Awarded Kenneth D. Herman, Ph.D., J.D. Career Contribution Award (1972).
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Awarded Humanist of the Year (1972).
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Creative Leadership in Education Award, New York University
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1971· 1 entry
Won Gold Medal Award (1971).
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1968· 3 entries
Won National Medal of Science (1968).
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National Medal of Science, National Science Foundation
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By Brown and Jenkins in their "autoshaping" procedures
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1967· 1 entry
Kat Kinkade and others founded the Twin Oaks Community, using Walden Two as a blueprint
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1966· 1 entry
Awarded Career Achievement Award for Distinguished Psychological Contributions to Education (1966).
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1962· 1 entry
Awarded Honorary Fellow of the British Psychological Society (1962).
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1958· 1 entry
Awarded APA Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Psychology (1958).
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1957· 2 entries
Published “Verbal behavior.” — cited 4,723 times.
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Published “Schedules of reinforcement.” — cited 3,023 times.
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1945· 1 entry
Moved to Indiana University, where he was chair of the psychology department from 1946 to 1947, before returning to Harvard as a tenured professor in 1948
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1942· 2 entries
Awarded Guggenheim Fellowship (1942).
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Won Howard Crosby Warren Medal (1942).
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1936· 3 entries
Went to the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis to teach
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In 1936, Skinner married Yvonne "Eve" Blue.
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Skinner married Yvonne "Eve" Blue
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1931· 2 entries
Studied at Harvard University, Doctor of Philosophy (1931).
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And remained there as a researcher for some years
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1926· 2 entries
Attended Harvard University, where he would later research and teach
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Studied at Hamilton College, Bachelor of Arts (1926).
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1904· 1 entry
Born 1904-03-20.
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