This U.S. psychologist and author was the primary advocate of Behaviorism. He wrote the books Science and Human Behavior in 1955, Walden Two in 1961, and Beyond Freedom and Dignity in 1971. What is his name?

Burrhus Frederic Skinner was a towering figure in 20th-century psychology and the leading champion for the school of thought known as Behaviorism. He argued that concepts like "free will" were illusions and that human action was the result of conditioning from our environment. Instead of studying internal thoughts or feelings, which are subjective, Skinner believed psychology should focus only on observable behaviors and the consequences that shape them. He laid out the scientific basis for these ideas in his 1955 book, *Science and Human Behavior*.

Skinner is most famous for his work on operant conditioning, which he demonstrated using a device that came to be known as the "Skinner box." Inside this chamber, an animal like a rat or pigeon would learn that performing a specific action, such as pressing a lever, would result in a reward (positive reinforcement) like a food pellet. Through these experiments, he showed how behavior could be systematically shaped and controlled, a principle that has had a profound influence on everything from animal training to classroom management and therapy.

He extended his ideas beyond the laboratory to explore their potential impact on society as a whole. His 1961 novel, *Walden Two*, imagined a utopian community designed around the principles of positive reinforcement. Later, his more controversial 1971 work, *Beyond Freedom and Dignity*, made the case that society could solve its most pressing problems by systematically applying behavioral science, a concept that sparked widespread