Part 4/16:
Historical Perspectives and Limitations: Skinner’s Model and Its Caveats
The classical behavioral model, exemplified by Skinner's experiments with rats, provides a simplified view: animals can be conditioned to perform complex behaviors through reinforcement, particularly when starved or deprived. However, these models have limitations. Skinner's rats, for instance, were often isolated, genetically altered (starved down to 75% of normal weight), and deprived of social interaction, thus lacking the complexity of natural behavior.