BF SKINNER: A FRESH APPRAISAL

With Murray Sidman, Ph.D.

1999 (41 min) $250.   ISBN: 1-891340-68-9        [Available with Spanish Subtitles]

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Like it or not, much of our behavior operates according to the operant conditioning model as first described by BF Skinner.  We do seek out experiences that have been rewarding in the past, whether it is eliciting a baby’s smile or falling for the allure of a tall piece of chocolate cake. 

This film introduces students to Skinnerian behavioral analysis: its evolution, vocabulary and methodology using a combination of archival film, telling animations and fresh film shot in laboratories.  Along the way, it also presents the humane and endearing man BF Skinner was as a person, the founder of a movement that is still often regarded as cold and mechanistic.  

Film Content:

BF Skinner’s own life story

            Three major influences upon his initial work: Darwin, Freud and Pavlov

            The distinction between classical and operant conditioning

            Aspects of operant conditioning

                        Discriminative stimuli

                        Shaping

                        Reinforcement, negative and positive

                        Reinforcement schedules

                        Punishment and its rejection by Skinner

            Applications of behavior analysis

                        Skinner’s use of it in his own home including the “air crib”

                        Teaching machines

                        Animal training

                        Special education

                        Community interventions

Visuals:

            BF Skinner explaining aspects of his work in archival film

            The actual Pavlovian dog experiments

            An animated story that distinguishing positive and negative reinforcement from each other and from punishment

            A current pigeon lab with a bird being trained to ring a bell

            Interviews with Skinner’s daughters on his family life

            Training a seeing eye dog

            A language session with an autistic boy

B.F. Skinner’s Life:

            Born in 1904 in a small town in western Pennsylvania

            An undistinguished high school and undergraduate education

            Ph.D. from Harvard, where he spent most of his academic career

            Married with two daughters

            Wrote many articles and books including BEYOND FREEDOM AND DIGNITY and  WALDEN TWO

            Died l990 of leukemia days after accepting a major award from the American Psychological Association

Consultant:

Murray Sidman, Ph.D. received his Ph.D. from Columbia University.  He has had a long and illustrious career in the field of behavior analysis, working  on research methods and in the field of mental retardation.  He is the author of the recently revised COERCION AND ITS FALLOUT, a book that shows that aversive techniques of dealing with undesirable behavior often lead to even worse behavior, a work that has great relevance to world issues of today.  Although he is retired from full time work, Dr. Sidman continues to lecture frequently.

Another film on BF Skinner:

HIS OWN BEST SUBJECT: A VISIT TO SKINNER’S BASEMENT

Related film:

            Part of the GIANTS OF PSYCHOLOGY series

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