Skinner’s ideas about free will are really interesting. He believed that people don’t really have free will — that our choices are shaped by rewards and punishments. I kind of see his point because we do learn from what happens to us, but it also feels weird to think we don’t make our own choices.

In behaviorism, the teacher’s job is to guide students by using rewards or feedback to shape behavior. For example, giving praise or points when students do something right. I think this can be helpful for building good habits, but it might not help students learn to be independent thinkers.

When it comes to nature vs. nurture, Skinner definitely focused on nurture — he thought our environment has the biggest impact. I think both play a part.

Intelligence tests can help teachers understand students’ strengths, but they can also be unfair if they don’t take into account different backgrounds or ways of thinking.

Update

A key idea from behaviorism is reinforcement. This means encouraging a behavior by rewarding it.

Example: If a student finishes their homework on time, the teacher gives them a sticker or praise. That makes the student more likely to do it again next time.

This works well for teaching routines or behavior, but it doesn’t always help students understand why they’re learning something. It’s good for short-term motivation, but not always for deeper learning.