B.F. Skinner’s work reshaped our understanding of human behavior by emphasizing the power of the environment in shaping actions. His concept of operant conditioning—where behavior is strengthened or weakened by its consequences—highlights how much of what we do is influenced by reinforcement and punishment rather than inner motives alone. Skinner’s ideas encourage us to think critically about how our surroundings, habits, and rewards shape who we become. While often criticized for overlooking internal thoughts and emotions, his focus on observable behavior offers a practical framework for learning, teaching, and behavior change. Ultimately, Skinner reminds us that small, consistent changes in our environment can profoundly impact our actions and growth.

• Michael Jay Delos Reyes

Reflecting on B.F. Skinner’s ideas about free will made me rethink how much the environment shapes behavior. While his view can feel limiting, I’ve seen in my own Kindergarten classroom how routines, reinforcement, and consistent expectations truly influence how children learn and act. Skinner reminds me that behavior doesn’t happen in isolation—teachers play a powerful role in creating the conditions for success.
Skinner’s ideas challenge me to be more intentional in shaping my classroom environment. Even if I don’t fully agree with his view of free will, I appreciate how his work highlights the impact of thoughtful teaching and positive reinforcement on children’s development.

• Mercy Salmorin

Skenner creía que todos los comportamientos estaban condicionados por el ambiente o experiencias del pasado. Por otra parte, el papel del profesor en un esquema conductista es el principal en el proceso enseñanza aprendizaje en una aula de clases.
En cuanto naturaleza o crianza, considero que hay relaciones entre las dos. Pues hay cosas con las que por naturaleza ya sabemos y otras que de acuerdo a la crianza adquirimos.
Por último, el peligro del uso de los test de inteligencia es que se pueden generar estigmatización entre poblaciones

• Yuli Rivas

B.F. Skinner’s views on free will are both fascinating and controversial. He believed that what we call “free will” is actually the result of environmental conditioning that our behaviors are shaped by rewards and punishments, not personal choice. I partly agree, because our surroundings and reinforcement patterns clearly influence how we act. For example, students study harder when they receive praise or good grades.
However, I also think Skinner’s perspective can feel limiting. It downplays human emotion, motivation, and the ability to make conscious moral choices. In the behaviorist scheme, the teacher acts as a designer of the learning environment

• Micays De Guzman

Skinner contends that free will is only an illusion. He believed that people's behavior was influenced by their surroundings. They are driven to repeat behaviors because they understand the value of positive reinforcement. People believe they have free will in life, whereas in reality, their previous experiences have conditioned them to act in that way.

The teacher's role in the behaviorist scheme is to control the learning environment. They are in charge of managing their classroom, establishing clear standards, and implementing rewards and punishment. Teachers, for example, reward pupils who exhibit appropriate behavior and actively participate in class activities. In this example, students are now aware that they will be rewarded if they act appropriately and participate in the discussions. And they will be punished if they do not follow their teacher's instructions.

Skinner mostly focuses on nurture. He believes that people are blank slates who learn from their environment and experiences.

Intelligence tests have limitations and can be dangerous. Discrimination and stereotypes may occur. For example, when students fail a test, they are frequently labeled as failures based solely on their score. This has negative effects upon them.

• Nicole Salvacion

B.F. Skinner thought that our behavior is shaped by the environment around us, he doesn’t believe in free will. And we can actually predict or predict those acts. As for teachers, this is part of their job that they should be rewarded those who did good behavior while give consequences who are bad ones. Nature vs. nurture tells about who we are, is it from our experiences and surroundings or is it inborn traits

• Denisse Franz

Your ideas are true, but I think there is a deficit of necessary information.

• Nicole Salvacion

Skinner saw free will as an illusion, with behavior shaped by the environment. This shows how much external factors influence learning but may overlook personal choice. In behaviorism, teachers shape behavior through reinforcement. It emphasizes nurture over nature. Intelligence tests help identify learning needs but risk bias, labeling, and ignoring other types of intelligence.

• Lance Aizelle Tusi

@Lance Aizelle Tusi, well-explained. Behavior is affected by environmental factors and learning through reinforcement also shapes behavior. Behaviorism works well for classroom routines and discipline, but not much for teaching creativity or critical thinking. Also, intelligence tests often focus on logical and linguistic skills, but they miss abilities like creativity, social skills, or practical problem-solving. That is why behaviorism and intelligence testing show that learning is complex and cannot be explained by just one theory or one type of measurement.

• Aira Mae Apuli

Skinner saw free will as an illusion, with behavior shaped by the environment. This shows how much external factors influence learning but may overlook personal choice. In behaviorism, teachers shape behavior through reinforcement. It emphasizes nurture over nature. Intelligence tests help identify learning needs but risk bias, labeling, and ignoring other types of intelligence.

• Lance Aizelle Tusi

Your mention of Foundations of Educational Psychology by Mary Kalantzis and Bill Cope highlights an important framework for understanding how learners think, grow, and interact in modern classrooms. Their work emphasizes that learning is social, cultural, and deeply connected to context. You could expand by noting how their ideas encourage teachers to design inclusive, learner-centered environments that value diversity and active participation. Overall, it’s a solid reference that connects theory to real-world teaching practice.

• Jennifer Dela Cruz

For me, Skinner’s idea that human behavior is shaped more by the environment and experiences than by free will makes sense to a certain extent. I do agree that things like rewards, punishments, and social influences have a big impact on how people behave. Our surroundings and past experiences really do affect how we act and respond to situations.

But at the same time, I believe that personal choice and human nature also matter. We’re not just products of our environment—we can think, reflect, and choose to change our behavior. While behaviorism shows how powerful conditioning can be, it’s also important to remember that people have the ability to grow, become self-aware, and make conscious decisions that go beyond their conditioning.

• Nuquie Kimberly Tomaneng