Question

What did Skinner mean when he suggested that personality is merely one’s history of reinforcement? In what ways does Skinner’s treatment of personality differ from the trait theories developed by Allport, Cattell, and Eysenck? What similarities does Skinner’s approach share with trait theories?

Answer 1

Basic feature of Skinner's theory is that it suggests that Personality is the sum total of the learned operant conditioning to the environment,that is behavior in a particular environment occurs according to the reinforcement. Reinforcement increases the wanted behavior and decreases or ends an unwanted behavior,thus,Skinner suggest that Personality is merely one's history of reinforcement.

Trait theories of Allport,Catell,Eysenck suggest that personality is based on the internal traits or characteristics of a person. Traits are generalized set of characteristics,and each person had their own set of these generalized characteristics or traits. Whereas, Skinner's theory suggest that personality are not general characteristics or traits but are learned behavior according to the reinforcement when operating in an environment that is personality is formed in interaction with the environment. During the life of a person only those behaviors are kept that has been positively reinforced while those behaviors that were punished or were encouraged upon were discarded.

The similarity that trait theories share with Skinner's approach is that both theories emphasizes on the importance of positive feedback or motivation . Those traits that receive positive feedback develops while the other that do not are diminished,in the same way those behaviors that receive positive reinforcement are strenghtens while those get punished are weakened or ended.