Question

Skinner’s focus was on

	a.	the relationship of man to animal
	b.	behaviorism as a result of unconscious motives
	c.	involuntary behaviors as determined by environment
	d.	voluntary behavior and the reinforcers that shape it

Answer 1

Skinner’s focus was on voluntary behavior and the reinforcers that shape it. Skinner believed that people can be taught to increase or decrease the likelihood of certain voluntary behaviors through the consequences that follow them. Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior while punishment decreases the likelihood of a behavior. Both are either positive or negative. By contrast, Pavlov focused on involuntary behaviors as determined by the environment.