Reflections on Behaviorism and Society: Extended Edition (PDF)

Description

Reflections on Behaviorism and Society is a collection of miscellaneous articles and talks by B. F. Skinner from the 1970s. It was a decade of social unrest, intergenerational conflict, political division, and worry about environmental degradation and nuclear war. These themes of human behavior and society remain with us today, perhaps in even more acute form, and Skinner’s analyses remain as fresh and cogent as when they were written. This edition is an extended version of the original and includes five additional articles, photographs, and some of Skinner’s autobiographical notes and comments. Those who know Skinner only through his major works are likely to be unaware that he had a sharp wit, so the editors have added a section called On the Lighter Side. The additions are various, but a central theme is an attempt to reveal both the breadth of Skinner’s repertoire and some of the controlling variables for his behavior as he composed the articles in this collection. A foreword by David Roth describes the relevance of this book for the 21st century.