Describes some of the basic principles involved in the behaviorist
approach to psychology as developed by B. F. Skinner. Illustrates
techniques of instrumental conditioning, using pigeons, rats, children,
and dogs.
Based on "Reese, E.P. (1964). Experiments in operant behavior.".
Behavior Theory in Practice is a set of four color videos (Parts I-IV),
each part approximately 21 minutes in length. Each individual Part
presents basic behavior principles in the laboratory and examples of the
presence and use of those principles in a variety of everyday settings
with a variety of species.
These were professionally produced in 1965 by
Charter Oak Studios in New York, and were written and directed by Dr.
Ellen Reese at Mt. Holyoke College, Massachusetts. The narration is
simple, elegant, and surprisingly comprehensive. Although the film was
made in 1965 the dress of the participants or other features of the
material is not at all detracting, The quality of the video is excellent
and the content exceptionally instructive. There are no comparable
videos available.
Titles of the four tapes are:
- Part I: Respondent and
Operant Behavior;
- Part II: Shaping Various Operants in Various Species;
- Part III: Generalization; Discrimination and Motivation;
- Part IV:
Sequences of Behavior.
