Psychology Student

B.F. Skinner, a prominent behaviorist, focused on observable behaviors and the environmental factors that influence them rather than internal mental processes like thinking. According to Skinner, thinking is a form of covert behavior, meaning that it is not directly observable but still subject to the same principles of reinforcement and punishment as overt behaviors. Skinner believed that thinking was a series of internal, covert responses, such as mental images or subvocal speech, that are shaped and controlled by environmental factors. He suggested that these internal responses are learned through reinforcement, just like other observable behaviors. In Skinner's view, thinking is a byproduct of our experiences and the consequences of our actions, which either strengthen or weaken our internal responses.