The Reinforcement Theory
In relationship to human development and learning, Skinner viewed behaviors that develop, like speech/language as those which are reinforced and thus learned. Those behaviors that are not reinforced are not learned and are thereby extinguished and not repeated.
3. There are major problems with the reinforcement theory. First, an educator in the beginning of an exercise does not know what constitutes reinforcement for some people. The educator guesses by using trial and error to identify what serves as a reinforcer to specific individuals. If the educator decides to ask the subject what would be a reinforcer and the subject responds, this initiation and response may cross the line into thinking and or emotion which behaviorist oppose.