Burrhus Frederic Skinner was an American psychologist, author, inventor, and considered one of the founders of the school of behaviorism. He taught at several major universities and is best known for developing operant conditioning and the Skinner box. Skinner's theory of learning posited that behavior is determined by its consequences - positive reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior reoccurring while punishment decreases it. He advocated for applying behavioral modification techniques to education through immediate feedback and reinforcement to shape desirable behaviors.