The simulated approval and affection with which parents and teachers are often urged to solve behavior problems are counterfeit. So are flattery, backslap-ping, and many other ways of “winning friends.

B. F. SKINNER

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The simulated approval and affection with which parents and teachers are often urged to solve behavior problems are counterfeit. So are flattery, backslap-ping, and many other ways of “winning friends.

B. F. Skinner

We have seen that in certain respects operant reinforcement resembles the natural selection of evolutionary theory. Just as genetic characteristics which arise as mutations are selected or discarded by their consequences, so novel forms of behavior are selected or discarded through reinforcement.

B. F. SKINNER

We have seen that in certain respects operant reinforcement resembles the natural selection of evolutionary theory. Just as genetic characteristics which arise as mutations are selected or discarded by their consequences, so novel forms of behavior are selected or discarded through reinforcement.
B. F. SKINNER

Attitude Character Nature Novel Respect Seen Selection Theory
The alphabet was a great invention, which enabled men to store and to learn with little effort what others had learned the hard way-that is, to learn from books rather than from direct, possibly painful, contact with the real world.

B. F. SKINNER

The alphabet was a great invention, which enabled men to store and to learn with little effort what others had learned the hard way-that is, to learn from books rather than from direct, possibly painful, contact with the real world.
B. F. SKINNER

Effort Greatness Invention Learning Man Pain Possible Reality Word World
When we say that a man controls himself, we must specify who is controlling whom.

B. F. SKINNER

When we say that a man controls himself, we must specify who is controlling whom.
B. F. SKINNER

Control Men
Behavior is determined by its consequences.

B. F. SKINNER

Behavior is determined by its consequences.
B. F. SKINNER

Attitude Determination
Does a poet create, originate, initiate the thing called a poem, or is his behavior merely the product of his genetic and environmental histories?

B. F. SKINNER

Does a poet create, originate, initiate the thing called a poem, or is his behavior merely the product of his genetic and environmental histories?
B. F. SKINNER

Creation Environment History Poem Poet Production
Men build society and society builds men.

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Men build society and society builds men.
B. F. SKINNER

Architect Build Men Society
We are only just beginning to understand the power of love because we are just beginning to understand the weakness of force and aggression.

B. F. SKINNER

We are only just beginning to understand the power of love because we are just beginning to understand the weakness of force and aggression.
B. F. SKINNER

Angry Beginning Force Love Power Understand Weakness
Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.

B. F. SKINNER

Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.
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Education Forget Graduation Survive Teacher
Science is a willingness to accept facts even when they are opposed to wishes.

B. F. SKINNER

Science is a willingness to accept facts even when they are opposed to wishes.
B. F. SKINNER

Acceptance Science Willing
A first principle not formally recognized by scientific methodologists: when you run into something interesting, drop everything else and study it.

B. F. SKINNER

A first principle not formally recognized by scientific methodologists: when you run into something interesting, drop everything else and study it.
B. F. SKINNER

Principle Recognition Run Study
Let men be happy, informed, skillful, well behaved, and productive.

B. F. SKINNER

Let men be happy, informed, skillful, well behaved, and productive.
B. F. SKINNER

Happiness Man Production Skill
Give me a child and I’ll shape him into anything.

B. F. SKINNER

Give me a child and I’ll shape him into anything.
B. F. SKINNER

Children Education
A first principle not formally recognized by scientific methodologists: when you run into something interesting, drop everything else and study it.

B. F. SKINNER

A first principle not formally recognized by scientific methodologists: when you run into something interesting, drop everything else and study it.
B. F. SKINNER

Principle Recognition Run Study
The only geniuses produced by the chaos of society are those who do something about it. Chaos breeds geniuses. It offers a man something to be a genius about.

B. F. SKINNER

The only geniuses produced by the chaos of society are those who do something about it. Chaos breeds geniuses. It offers a man something to be a genius about.
B. F. SKINNER

Born Breed Education Genius Men Production
Society attacks early, when the individual is helpless.

B. F. SKINNER

Society attacks early, when the individual is helpless.
B. F. SKINNER

Attack Help Society
Unable to understand how or why the person we see behaves as he does, we attribute his behavior to a person we cannot see, whose behavior we cannot explain either but about whom we are not inclined to ask questions.

B. F. SKINNER

Unable to understand how or why the person we see behaves as he does, we attribute his behavior to a person we cannot see, whose behavior we cannot explain either but about whom we are not inclined to ask questions.
B. F. SKINNER

Explanation Justice Person Question See Understand

Created by Minimalist Quotes

The simulated approval and affection with which parents and teachers are often urged to solve behavior problems are counterfeit. So are flattery, backslap-ping, and many other ways of “winning friends.

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