Skinner's experiences as an adult such as visiting a cathedral and taking care to avoid stepping on the gravestones set in the floor made it clear to him that his adult behaviors had been determined by _____ he experienced as a child.
A) the sexual conflicts
B) the identity crisis
C) the unconscious complexes
D) the reinforcements

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Skinner was a behaviorist who believed that all behavior was shaped by external environmental factors, particularly reinforcement or punishment. Therefore, his avoidance of stepping on the gravestones in the cathedral was likely a result of past instances where he was punished or reinforced for similar behaviors. This aligns with choice D, which states that his adult behaviors were determined by the reinforcements he experienced as a child. The other answer choices (A, B, and C) refer to psychodynamic concepts which do not align with Skinner's theory.

Skinner's Experiences as an Adult Such as Visiting a Cathedral