Chapter 4: B.F. Skinner and Behaviorism

Slot machines, phobias and superstitions, dog training techniques, cures for insomnia... behaviorism has something to say about all of these (and much more!). The scope and ambition of B.F. Skinner's behaviorism rivals that of Freud's--except Skinner wanted nothing to do with the "mind" (or anything else he couldn't observe in a lab). How successful was this program of research? What did it get wrong? Is everything learned through mere associations and reinforcement? And where do Paul and David stand on the big debate between nativism (the idea that the mind comes equipped with knowledge) and empiricism (the idea that all knowledge comes from experience)?

Read the book that inspired the podcast: "Psych: The Story of the Human Mind" [amazon.com]

Email us with your psychology questions for a future episode!: [email protected]