The Skinner revolution

B F Skinner is one of the preeminent psychologists of the 20th century, having pioneered experiments in, and theories of, human and nonhuman animal behaviour. Featuring interviews with Skinner near the end of his career, as well as other leading thinkers of the era, this 1978 documentary explores his famed experiments in behaviour and control, along with his framework of ‘operant conditioning’, which holds that ‘above all, positive reinforcement is the prime mover’ of learning. The portrait contrasts the controversy surrounding his work, including the ethics of his experiments and the resulting notion that we may have less control over our behaviour than we might like, with the man himself – a mild-mannered, caring father and grandfather. Delightfully retro in some places and somewhat dated in others, the film nevertheless makes for a riveting introduction to a paradigm-changing thinker. How B F Skinner upended our understanding of behaviour and control Director: Steven D McAdam Producer: Jerry Johnson videoBioethics What a 1970 experiment reveals about the possibility and perils of ‘head transplants’ 6 minutes videoCognition and intelligence Leaping from firing neurons to human behaviour is tempting, but it’s a perilous gap 3 minutes videoAnimals and humans Are zoos and natural history museums born of a desire to understand, or to control? 57 minutes videoHistory of science The first scientists to splice DNA faced a daunting question: ‘Should we?’ 15 minutes videoPhilosophy of mind We may never settle the ‘free will’ debate, but tapping into it is still worthwhile 32 minutes videoThinkers and theories When Chomsky met Foucault: how the thinkers debated the ‘ideal society’ 14 minutes videoThinkers and theories Bigger isn’t better – the renegade ‘Buddhist economics’ of E F Schumacher 30 minutes videoConsciousness and altered states A neurologist finds peace and happiness in the feeling of constant acceleration 16 minutes videoCognition and intelligence How the dramatic arc can change our brain chemistry and spur us to action 6 minutes