Support the B. F. Skinner Foundation

Dear Friend,

I am sure that you, like my husband Ernie and me, are bombarded with appeals from organizations, many of which you would like to support.  In the next few days, as Giving Tuesday approaches, that stream will only increase.  No one can accommodate all requests from non-profits whose activities are worthwhile. When you consider options, I hope that you wlll support the B. F. Skinner Foundation. What we do helps makes the world a more positive place.

In his book, Beyond Freedom and Dignity, Skinner reminded his readers that the main problems facing the world, including overpopulation, depletion of resources, and war, all involve human behavior. He argued that a science of behavior and its technology offer the only real hope for a better future.  All of you who follow the science he began are moving life away from the coercive practices so common today by promoting positive and effective ways to achieve change. 

The B. F. Skinner Foundation is in its 30th year of operation.  With our supporters and volunteers, we have one goal – spreading the heritage that B. F. Skinner left us.  In the past three decades we have achieved much of this goal.  We have gathered an extensive archive of Skinner’s audio-, video-, photo-, and print files.  Friends have sent us materials about our field, like correspondence about the formation of the Society of the Analysis of Behavior that preserve our history.  An online virtual museum is in the works to make archival treasures available to the public.

Our publication program offers Skinner’s voice and ideas in his own words, without any distortions.  To make Skinner’s writings available and affordable to everyone, all PDF versions of Skinner’s books are offered through our bookstore as name-your-price products, starting at 99 cents.  Each year we add books that you can download for free. Currently, Science and Human Behavior, The Behavior of Organisms, and Schedules of Reinforcement in PDF format are free. There are more Skinner’s books to bring back into print, including his autobiography.  Skinner’s notes are waiting to be digitized and made available to the public in an annotated and searchable format. The Operants magazine shares current work and articles.  It brings together work being done around the world and is available free of charge.  

The Foundation operates on a lean budget.  However, our activities require financial support.  Over half of our income comes from contributions. To continue our work and add new projects, I am appealing to you today: Please take one minute to go to bfskinner.org, click on the donate button, and send a contribution to the Foundation.  

Thank you!

Julie S. Vargas

President, B. F. Skinner Foundation