The ultimate challenge: Prove B. F. Skinner wrong

Abstract

For much of his career, B. F. Skinner displayed the optimism that is often attributed to behaviorists. With time, however, he became less and less sanguine about the power of behavior science to solve the major problems facing humanity. Near the end of his life he concluded that a fair consideration of principles revealed by the scientific analysis of behavior leads to pessimism about our species. In this article I discuss the case for Skinner's pessimism and suggest that the ultimate challenge for behavior analysts today is to prove Skinner wrong.

Contributions of Behavioral Systems Science to Leadership for a New Progressive Movement

“…He placed his best hopes in what he called the Buncommitted^-those who were not deeply embedded in and committed to government, religion, or the corporate world. Others in the behavior analysis community have expanded upon Skinner's comments (Chance 2007) and suggested possible responses (Rumph, Ninness, McCuller, and Ninness 2005; see also Leigland 2011). Skinner included among the uncommitted scholars, scientists, teachers, and journalists-groups who were not at that time deeply braided into governmental, corporate, and religious structures.…”

“…We argue, however, that contemporary advances in behavioral systems science can provide considerable guidance for a New Progressive Movement, powerful enough to have a profound impact on the issues noted above (Mattaini 2013). We further argue that only a powerful social movement could achieve the needed changes, as current cultural and social structures have proven highly resilient and resistant to social change, while the inertia of affluence and delay discounting make major shifts very challenging (Chance 2007;Nevin 2005;Piven 2008). …”

“…The realities are inescapable, and the potential implications are likely to affect nearly every dimension of human life in the USA and globally. Current trends are discouraging and will be extraordinarily difficult to shift given global structural realities (Chance 2007;Skinner 1982Skinner , 1987. It is hard to imagine a time when effective leadership is more necessary or will be more challenging.…”

Editorial

“…We next present two papers that respond more or less to the special section on The Human Response to Climate Change: Ideas From Behavior Analysis that appeared in the Fall 2010 issue, and one that responds to Chance's (2007) article on Skinner's growing pessimism about behavior analysis being able to address global problems. These three articles accomplish two general goals.…”

Climate change: Meeting the challenge

“…Now we want to make a proposal of our own. Skinner pointed out that evolution has prepared us for a very different world than the one in which we live (see Chance, 2007). For example, we are designed to modify our behavior in response to consequences that are intense, immediate and certain, but many of the problems that we face today, including climate change, involve consequences that are weak, delayed, and uncertain.…”