Skinner and the nature of behavioral science
Driving his approach was a belief that theories were meaningless. They impose truth, Skinner said, by imposing order from one unexplained statement to another. Futher, the explanation of mentalistic events (motivation) was meaningless because they could not be measured or studied through rigorous scientific procedure.
Other psychologists of the time (Fruedians and Gestaltists) were interested in human "states." They were particularly interested in how these states were developed. This focus reduced behavior to the level of symptoms. An example is illustrative:
Consider a 9 year old girl who was physically beaten as a child when she spilled food. Presently, she is anxious, withdrawn and timid. This anxiety is a state, while being withdrawn and timed are behaviors.
Much psychological theory in Skinner's early years would focus on the state- the child's anxiety. They believed that by changing this state, the behaviors or symptoms would automatically change. Skinner believed this focus diverted attention from the problem (her behavior) and the potential solutions (changing the behavior).
