B.F. Skinner

Burrhus Frederic (aka B.F.) Skinner
 * Born March 20, 1904 in Sesquehanna, Pennsylvania
 * Died August 18, 1990 (after finishing an article)

Where did they get their PhD?
Earned a Masters in Psychology from Harvard in 1930 and a PhD from Harvard in 1931

Where have they taught / worked?
He stayed at Harvard to complete research until 1936. He then moved to Minneapolis to teach at the University of Minnesota. In 1945 he accepted a position as Chairman of the Psychology Department at Indiana University. Three years later he was invited back to Harvard where he remained until the end of his life.

What things are they best known for?

 * Operant Conditioning
 * Skinner Box

What are their three most important publications?

 * Walden II (1948)
 * Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971)
 * About Behaviorism (1974)

Who are their most frequent collaborators?
Graduate students he worked with during 1950’s & 1960’s:
 * C. B. Ferster, Schedules of Reinforcement (1957)
 * J. G. Holland, The Analysis of Behavior: A Program for Self-Instruction (1961).
 * Douglas B. Anger
 * James A Anliker
 * Nathan H. Azrin
 * Donald S. Blough
 * A. Charles Catania
 * Lewis R. Gollub
 * Richard J. Herrnstein
 * Matthew L. Israel
 * Alfredo V. Lagmay
 * Harlan I. Lane
 * Ogden R. Lindlsey
 * William H. Morse
 * Neil J. Peterson
 * George S. Reynolds
 * Herbert S. Terrace

Who are their main philosophical rivals (if any)?
None found

What (in)famous / apocryphal stories exist about this person?
A rumor surfaced as the result of an article published in The Ladies Home Journal (October 1945). The article featured a customized baby bed he invented for his younger daughter. The bed was enclosed with a see through panel, which allowed a complete temperature and humidity-controlled environment. Subsequently, his daughter was able to sleep without extra clothes and blankets. The headline of the article was changed to “Baby in a Box” and was later confused with the “Skinner Box.” Rumors circulated that his daughter was emotionally challenged throughout life as a result of spending her infancy in the “Skinner Box.”  These rumors were completely false.