The University of Maryland names the majority of its campus’s buildings after the legacies of influential alumni and world scholars. Most would assume that the activities that occur in each of these buildings would be a representation of the namesake, however, that is not true for the Skinner Building.
Current students at the University of Maryland know the Skinner Building as home to the Communication, Philosophy and Nutrition and Food Science departments, but William Woolford Skinner did not concentrate his studies in any of these subjects. Throughout the course of the Skinner Building’s history, it has shifted its uses multiple times. Although, since being renamed after Skinner it has never served any major science subjects, Skinner’s
…show more content…
Classes from many different departments occur in the Skinner lecture hall. Over the course of their academic careers at the university, most students take at least one class in the Skinner Building. Junior Communication major, Devon Hoffman, takes the majority of her courses in the Skinner Building and “always thought that Skinner had a career in Communications.” She now believes that “the collection of departments housed in the Skinner Building are not a good representation of the professional career of Skinner.” Of the current departments based in the Skinner Building, the Department of Nutrition and Food Science is the closest representation of Skinner’s background in agricultural chemistry, because it is a part of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The Skinner Building serves as a reminder of Skinner’s successes and his impact on the university’s history. As a graduate, football player, head football coach, chairman, and distinguished researcher from the University of Maryland, Skinner’s academic and professional careers beyond display outstanding characteristics that deserved recognition. However, instead of having the Communication, Philosophy and Nutrition and Food Science departments located inside of the Skinner Building, Skinner’s legacy could be better served as the name of a building devoted to chemistry or
Agnes Fay Morgan is known for many things, but most importantly she is honored and praised for her accomplishments within the field of chemistry and biochemistry. Born in 1884, she was the third of four children to an Irish immigrant and was born in Peoria, Illinois. Her family consisted of two boys and two girls, where ironically, both boys didn’t attend college and both females did. Due to Agnes’s exceptional grades and limitless possibilities, she was offered a full college scholarship by a local benefactor and enrolled at Vassar College. She then continued her education by transferring to the University of Chicago where she earned both her BS degree and her MS degree in chemistry. Once obtaining this degree she decided to teach chemistry in Montana and
in English and taught as a part time instructor. It’s a garden that he describes as “overgrown and seemingly unmanaged...perhaps the only place left at the university that is not meticulously landscaped and stage-managed for tour groups and the website”. While the “aesthetic conformity” of the school is not the only issue, DeBoer’s portrayal of the campus sets the mood of his statement. The juxtaposed descriptions of the natural versus managed spaces on campus reflect the bigger picture; namely universities are more focused on marketability than education. He backs this up with other information, but it is this personal example that will likely stick with the audience. The garden might seem like a trivial issue, but it represents DeBoer’s personal stake in the subject. “That’s precisely why I love the garden: It’s one of the last little wild places left at Purdue”, he says, “Naturally, it’s slated for demolition”. This particular statement is a powerful ending to his introduction because it depicts the weakness of campus culture and freedom against university
In Lauren Slater’s book Opening Skinner’s Box, the second chapter “Obscura” discusses Stanley Milgram, one of the most influential social psychologists. Milgram created an experiment which would show just how far one would go when obeying instructions from an authoritative figure, even if it meant harming another person while doing so. The purpose of this experiment was to find justifications for what the Nazi’s did during the Holocaust. However, the experiment showed much more than the sociological reasoning behind the acts of genocide. It showed just how much we humans are capable of.
Let me just briefly tell you the story about how I stumbled upon this class of nutraceuticals. While in college, I quickly developed a strong dislike for the classroom. Not only was it utterly inefficient, but it also was almost entirely ineffective for learning purposes. I could not comprehend why students got up every morning at 7 A.M., sat through over 6 hours of lecture, and then went home only to relearn what was lectured in class. Am
Erdrich’s intent of this novel, The Round House is to reveal the lack of justice for Native Americans even on their own tribal land. She does this by using the example of a thinly-veiled fictional reservation in North Dakota, representing the real Ojibwe reservation. The legal theme and its impacts on the lives of the men and women trapped within a Kafka-esque legal system results in a young boy acting as a vigilante to enact a tragic form of justice. Conflicts of jurisdiction and sovereignty have long made it difficult to prosecute non-Native men for the rape of Native American women. The novel operates as a mythic vessel for the beliefs and actions of a Native American, Ojibwe ethical system nearly stamped out of existence. The novel acts
Write what you know. These are words that Willa Cather lived by. In the novel, The Professor’s House, Cather’s life is directly parallel to the life of the main character, Professor Godfrey St. Peter. Through St. Peter, the reader is able to observe the struggles as well as triumphs that occurred at that point in Willa Cather’s life. Her struggle with materialism versus idealism, discovery of religion, and her own mid-life crisis are all shown through the character of Godfrey St. Peter.
Lauren Slater begins this chapter by expressing the controversy B.F Skinner caused in his time. Did he take his experiments too far? Was he truly revolutionary? Through all of the controversy, Slater comes to the conclusion that Skinner was revolutionary and influential for all scientist to come. Skinner began his research at Harvard University, looking into psychological experiments that would help our world become a better place, a place where we people could take action. In his experiments, he was able to uncover the science behind behavior and make animals react based on cues in their environments.
On that same day a few yards away, Frank Levi Trimble stretched his legs out in his bed in Hope College dormitory. As a third year student, Trimble had sat through a similar convocation ceremony just a few years earlier. The memory of the experience lingered in his mind this morning as he readied the room for his new roommate, John Hope.
Other critics are concerned with Skinner’s disapproval of Sigmund Freud, one of psychology’s founding fathers. While many of Freud’s claims are shown to be untrue, it is still unacceptable to have a lack of respect for predecessors. Even though Skinner faced some criticism regarding his work, he is still highly recognized for his ingenuity and discoveries and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards.
Skinner is not a cognitive psychologist because he does not see evidence of an inner world of mental life that is relative to analyzing behavior nor to the physiology of the nervous system. In other words, he does not think the brain and its mental functions have proven enough evidence to verify their effectiveness in analyzing behavior within the field of psychology. Skinner has chosen not to be a cognitive psychology because of his belief that behavior cannot be changed by changing “the minds and heart of men”- yet that is the overarching purpose of cognitive psychology. Skinner believes that there is more to changing behavior such as the inclusion of altering the environments, both physical and social, in which we live. Without doing so, Skinner believes it is impossible to change
Christie, Kathy. “Stateline: Even Students Are What They Eat.” The Phi Delta Kappan 84.5 (2003): 341-342. PDF file.
The intake of proper nutrients helps balance the maintenance of bodily functions; supporting the longevity of a healthy lifestyle. (Denton, Carolyn. “How does food Impact Health?” www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu). With constant technological advance in the world, it is important to become aware of how frequent the world changes daily in preparation for self-maturity. What is a more effective way to approach the real world than to have a direct experience? The researcher will address the topic on why community high schools in America should allow its students off campus during lunch. Allowing children to have a better lunch option could help educational strength as well as attend to other essential needs. (Anderson, Melinda. “Do healthy lunches
B.F. Skinner was born of a father who was a lawyer who worked for the local railroad and a stay at home mother in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. Skinner’s parents were Presbyterians and were of the middle working class background. Skinner went to the local school in town where both of his parents attended as children themselves. Skinner read for pleasure as a student because he described his father as “a sucker for book salesman.” Many have spoken with Skinner about his childhood, which he describes as “a happy one.” Skinner labeled his upbringing and home life as “warm and stable.” During Skinner’s youth, he also showed a high interest in building things. He built wagons, model airplanes, and other makeshift items, which exemplified his mechanical intellect.
...arable interaction between nutrition and exercise, and I appreciate a program that challenges students to see how different areas of health intersect and connect. In addition to this solid foundation of public health knowledge, George Washington’s one-on-one mentorship opportunities and customizable field and research experiences allows students to develop the skills necessary to succeed in their specific area of interest. The university’s location also provides access to a wide range of organizations, agencies, and policymakers, and the chance to work with these groups would give me unparalleled insight into public health policy. George Washington’s public health program strives to fully prepare students for successful careers in public health, and I hope to use the knowledge and experience from the program to reduce the impact of eating disorders on public health.
...inforcement and punishment in their everyday lives. Parents are always utilizing Skinners techniques when it comes to persuading their children, and teaching them right from wrong. In addition, pet owners also use his concepts when trying to teach their animals how to behave or a new trick. Teachers also utilize his concepts when they are trying to instill good behavior in their students. As long as children are born, pets are bought, and teachers are employed, Skinner’s techniques will be used. His concepts will also be used in other situations as well. If it were not for his studies and dedication to behaviorism, we, as people, would have probably had a difficult time learning how to shape and mold good behavior in an individual. I can think of many scenarios where I have used Skinner’s techniques, and I believe that I will continue to do so throughout my lifetime.