A husband and wife observe a toddler throwing a temper tantrum at a toy store.The husband comments under his breath,"What an annoying little beast!" His wife,noticing that the mother of the toddler just gave the boy a toy to calm him down,states,"It's not his fault.He's behaving exactly as _____ would predict."
A)William James
B)B.F.Skinner
C)Ivan Pavlov
D)John Watson

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

B.F. Skinner was a behaviorist who believed that behavior is learned through its consequences. In this scenario, the toddler is throwing a tantrum to get what he wants, and the mother is appeasing him by giving him a toy. Skinner's theory would predict that the toddler will continue to throw tantrums in the future when he wants something and has learned that this behavior leads to getting what he wants.

A Husband and Wife Observe a Toddler Throwing a Temper