AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -While Skinner’s early studies were done using rats, he later moved on to study pigeons. The operant conditioning chamber may be used to observe or manipulate behaviour. An animal is placed in the box where it must learn to activate levers or respond to light or sound stimuli for reward.

Detailed explanation-2: -Desired Behavior And Criteria In essence, Skinner was using the bird as an animal computer, performing a complicated tracking operation that the technology of the day could only crudely perform but which, over the course of millions of years, evolution had equipped animals to do perfectly.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Skinner Box in Research To test the effect of these outcomes, he constructed a device called the “Skinner Box”; a cage in which a rat could be placed, with a small lever (which the rat would be trained to press), a chute which would release pellets of food, and a floor which could be electrified.

Detailed explanation-4: -Skinner used animals in his experiments to formulate or flesh out theory applicable to people. A few examples of his work in this respect include schedules of reinforcement, behavior modification and shaping.