Assessment and Research in Skinner’s Theory

Skinner did not use the typical assessment techniques favored by other theorists. Skinner’s approach to assessing behavior is called functional analysis and it involves three aspects of behavior:
(A) the frequency of behavior,
(B) the situation in which the behavior occurs, and
(C) the reinforcement associated with the behavior.

Direct Observation of Behavior
Three approaches to assessing behavior are direct observation, self-reports, and physiological measurements. Observation has been used in a number of studies, while self-reports are carried out through interviews and questionnaires. Questionnaires for assessing behavior are similar in format to self-report inventories that assess personality. For example, in a classic report of a behavior modification situation, a woman sought treatment for her 4-year-old son whose behavior was considered unruly (Hawkins, Peterson, Schweid, & Bijou, 1966).

Self-Reports of Behavior
The difference lies in the way they are interpreted, as described by the sign-versus-sample approach. The sign approach is used to assess personality, while the sample approach is used to assess behavior. For example, if a person indicates that he or she is afraid of being in an elevator, this fear can be interpreted as a sign, or an indirect symptom, of some underlying motive or conflict.

Physiological Measurements of Behavior
Physiological measurements may include heart rate, muscle tension, and brain waves. For Skinner, whatever the technique, the ultimate goal is to modify behavior, not change personality. For example, a person who is too embarrassed to reveal in an interview or on a questionnaire a fear of being in an elevator might exhibit a change in heart rate or muscle tension when asked in general about elevators.