B. F. Skinner and the Revolutionary Science of Behavior - 2nd Edition by Julie A Riggott (Paperback)

About the Book

Burrhus Frederic (Fred) Skinner made one of the most important scientific discoveries in history - he discovered a science of behavior. This biography takes young readers through Fred's journey from creative kid to groundbreaking scientist.

Book Synopsis

Have you ever heard of B. F. Skinner? A lot of people haven't. And yet he made one of the most important scientific discoveries in history - he discovered a science of behavior. When Burrhus Frederic (Fred) Skinner was a kid, he made toys, built a cabin in the woods and designed a contraption to remind him to hang up his pajamas every morning. That creative kid who tinkered, solved problems and figured out how things worked grew up to do the same thing in the lab at Harvard University. There, he discovered the laws of behavior, which explain why we behave the way we do. More importantly, he figured out how we can change our behavior and improve our lives.Though he discovered the science of behavior, was honored with the Award for Lifetime Contributions from the American Psychological Association, and was recognized as the most eminent psychologist of the 20th century, Skinner's amazing work is not widely known.This biography takes young readers through Fred's journey from creative kid to groundbreaking scientist - and shows us that with a science of behavior anything is possible!

Review Quotes

"B. F. Skinner's revolutionary discovery of a science of behavior has a story that is as fascinating as the life he lived. With the support of Haydn Schlinger's beautiful illustrations, Julie Riggott has captured the richness and importance of Skinner's story, as well as the technical precision of Skinnerian science, with a style that is both fun and accessible for all ages."

-David Roth, writer and editor for Operants magazine and member of the Board of Directors of the B. F. Skinner Foundation

"Julie Riggott's biography of Fred Skinner is simply marvelous! In telling the story of his life, she illustrates the dramatic role of environment in shaping problem-solving behavior-behavior that lasts a lifetime. The implications are profound. What an important gift to teachers, parents, students, and, posthumously, to Fred."

-Margaret Vaughan, Ph.D., co-author with B. F. Skinner of Enjoy Old Age

"B. F. Skinner and the Revolutionary Science of Behavior is written for children, but it does not talk down to them. The book can be appreciated at many levels, for it is full of many little-known biographical details as well as sophisticated discussions of Skinner's science."

-David C. Palmer