Behavior Theory and Conditioning

Kenneth Wartinbee Spence was an American psychologist who developed a comprehensive theory of behavior encompassing conditioning and other forms of learning and behavior modification. In his book, Behavior Theory and Conditioning (1956), Spence proposed that learning occurs by forming connections between specific stimuli and responses, reinforced by rewards. The strength of this learning potential depends on the drive satisfied by the response and the incentive, which is influenced by the amount and delay of reinforcement. Spence's work is a significant contribution to behaviorism, a school of psychology focused on observable and measurable data.12