On 13 Mar 2004, Allen Esterson wrote: > I was not a lab rat > > A new book has rekindled old rumours that renowned psychologist BF > Skinner used his baby daughter in his experiments. Stop this rubbish > about me and my dad, says Deborah Skinner Buzan. > > http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1167653,00.html
I'm dismayed to receive this news. The description for the Slater book (_Opening Skinner's Box_) sounded interesting so I ordered a copy for our university library. Now I'm not sure I should have. That old story about Skinner has been debunked many times, and even the most cursory investigation of it by Slater would have led her to conclude that it wasn't true. For starters, she might have checked Skinner's own description of what it really was, in his famous 1945 article "Baby in a Box", reprinted in his collection of readings _Cumulative Record_. (1961). That book is undoubtedly available in every English-language university library in the world. It's also available on-line at http://www.d230.org/cs/matiya/new_page_8.htm In addition, there was an article by Skinner on his invention ("My experience with the baby-tender") in _Psychology Today_ in 1979, with two photographs of a happy young Deborah, one in her baby-tender. Another obvious source is a feature article in the _New York Times Magazine_, March 17th, 1968, with a picture of a homemade version on the cover, and detailed information about it in the article. Finally, a Google search on "baby" and "box" turns up many debunkings, including one at the Urban Legends page at snopes ( http://www.snopes.com/science/skinner.htm). One I also like is from the Straight Doper, Cecil Adams, even if he is a little shaky on his psychology. It's at http://www.straightdope.com/columns/030815.html So if Slater could miss that one, how much truth can there be in her other essays on the likes of Harry Harlow, Elizabeth Loftus, etc? BTW, many years ago I presumptuously wrote to Skinner when my first daughter was born to ask him how to get my hands on a baby-tender. I received a brief but curteous reply from the great man himself. I still have that letter. I never did get a baby-tender, though. Stephen ___________________________________________________ Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at http://faculty.frostburg.edu/psyc/southerly/tips/index.htm _______________________________________________ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
