Burrhus Frederic Skinner was born in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, to Grace and William Skinner, a lawyer. His upbringing was stable and relatively conventional. Early on, he demonstrated an interest in building and inventing, foreshadowing his later career as an inventor of behavioral apparatuses.

Skinner initially pursued a career in writing after graduating from Hamilton College with a degree in English Literature. However, he soon became disillusioned with his lack of success and, increasingly intrigued by the workings of the human mind, shifted his focus towards psychology.

After a period of self-reflection, Skinner enrolled at Harvard University to study psychology. He immersed himself in the study of behavior and developed his own unique approach, diverging from prevailing cognitive and psychoanalytic perspectives. He earned his Ph.D. in 1931, solidifying his commitment to understanding behavior through observable and measurable actions.

Skinner's first major work, 'The Behavior of Organisms,' presented his experimental analysis of behavior, introducing the concept of operant conditioning. This book detailed his experiments with rats and pigeons, demonstrating how behavior is shaped by its consequences—reinforcement and punishment. It marked the formal birth of radical behaviorism as a distinct school of thought within psychology.

During World War II, Skinner applied his behavioral principles to practical problems. He invented the 'Air Crib,' a temperature-controlled and filtered enclosure for infants, designed to provide an optimal environment for development (although it never gained widespread acceptance). He also developed 'Project Pigeon,' a highly unusual plan to guide missiles using pigeons trained to peck at a target image. Though ultimately deemed impractical at the time, 'Project Pigeon' showcased Skinner's creative application of behavioral principles to real-world scenarios.

Skinner's utopian novel, 'Walden Two,' depicted a fictional community based on behavioral principles of positive reinforcement and planned cultural design. The novel sparked considerable debate about the feasibility and ethical implications of using behavioral technology to create a perfect society. It helped popularize his ideas, though it also brought criticism from those concerned about potential social control.

Inspired by his observations of children's learning, Skinner developed teaching machines that delivered programmed instruction. These devices presented material in small, sequential steps, providing immediate feedback to students. He believed this method could improve learning efficiency and effectiveness by applying the principles of reinforcement in the classroom. This work profoundly influenced the field of instructional design.

In 'Beyond Freedom and Dignity,' Skinner argued that the concepts of freedom and dignity are obstacles to creating a more effective and humane society. He proposed that human behavior is determined by environmental factors and that we should focus on designing environments that promote desirable behaviors. This book ignited intense controversy, with critics accusing Skinner of advocating for totalitarian control.

B.F. Skinner died of leukemia on August 18, 1990, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Shortly before his death, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association and delivered an impassioned speech criticizing the cognitive revolution in psychology and reaffirming his commitment to radical behaviorism. He continued to write and advocate for his views until the very end, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape the field of psychology and beyond.