How did Skinner study animal and human behavior?
My primary method was the experimental analysis of behavior, often employing what I called the operant conditioning chamber, or Skinner box. This allowed for precise control and measurement of behavior. By manipulating schedules of reinforcement—how often a reward followed a behavior—I could systematically study how such contingencies shaped rates and patterns of responding. This empirical approach provided objective data on the environmental determinants of behavior, applicable to both animal and human subjects.
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