Recent Issues. Chapter 6: Whatever Happened to Psychology as the Science of Behavior? Quote 6

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Recent Issues. Chapter 6: Whatever Happened to Psychology as the Science of Behavior? Quote 6

Post author:B. F. Skinner Foundation
Post published:January 10, 2019
Post category:Skinner's Quote of the Day

“[In an operant analysis,] the environment takes over the control formerly assigned to an internal, originating agent.” (p. 64)

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SKINNER'S QUOTE OF THE DAY

Verbal Behavior: Extended Edition. Chapter 6: Special Conditions Affecting Stimulus Control. Quote 7
Reinforcing sounds in the child’s environment provide for the automatic reinforcement of vocal forms. Such sounds need not be verbal; the child is reinforced automatically when he duplicates the sounds of airplanes, streetcars, automobiles, vacuum cleaners, birds, dogs, cats, and so on. But among the sounds which become important are the verbal responses of his parents and others. (p. 164)
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“[In an operant analysis,] the environment takes over the control formerly assigned to an internal, originating agent.” (p. 64)

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