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In this solo episode, Martha talked about Skinner Boxes, a tool for studying animal behaviour that can be a useful way to understand our own actions.

Invented by B.F. Skinner, the Skinner Box, or “Operant Conditioning Chamber”, is a tool to study the effect of “rewards and punishments” on behaviour. The box delivers pleasant or unpleasant experiences (eg a food pellet or a loud noise) when a lab animal, typically a rat or a pigeon, performs a certain action, such as moving to the right side of the box or pushing a lever. Skinner described these pleasant and unpleasant experiences (“rewards and punishments”) as reinforcements.

Take the example of a pigeon getting a food pellet when it pecks a lever. The pigeon pretty quickly begins to associate pecking the lever with getting the food pellet, so it pecks the lever for as long as it is hungry. The lever is connected to a measuring device that records how often and fast the pigeon pecks. The scientists then turn off the food source, so the action of pecking the lever is no longer being reinforced with a reward. The pigeon keeps pecking for a while because it has been “conditioned” to peck the lever by the previous rewards. After a while the choice to peck the lever is no longer reinforced and the pigeon stops pecking.

The interesting thing is that if the pigeon usually gets a pellet every time it pecks then when the pellets stop the conditioning doesn’t last long. The pigeon quickly stops pecking after the reinforcement stops.

If, on the other hand, the pigeon only gets a pellet every few pecks on an unpredictable schedule it will peck faster and keep pecking for a long time after the food stops coming. The conditioned behaviour lasts a longer.

The same is true of rats and to a certain extent to humans too. We find unreliable rewards more compelling than unreliable ones.

The implications of this include the fact that we find gambling compelling, even though on average gamblers lose more than they win.

It also explains why some people and workplaces manage to keep partners friends and employees with them in spite of making them unhappy. Sudden unpredictable praise, gifts and bonuses or sulking, silent treatment and bad shifts condition loyalty at the cost of stress and misery.

To identify Skinner Boxes look out for:

• Skinner boxes are exciting! Drama feels fun. Often pay outs early, which feels great, so when the ‘punishment’ comes feels very upsetting and shocking.

• Look out for feeling uncertain or anxious about outcomes.  Is there a lack of clarity about reward systems? Do you know what’s expected of you? Do exchanges feel mutual and trusting?

• Moodiness is a bad sign.

• Pay attention to how you feel about what you’re doing. Mindfulness is very helpful. Check in with yourself - how do I feel right now? 

• Journaling can be helpful, especially anything that allows you to track over time such as a daily mood chart.

• Is there always a promise that never seems to materialise? 

• Do you struggle to explain why you stick around?

• If you’re telling yourself “If I/we can just X then everything will be ok”, that’s a bad sign

The wonderful advice blogger, Captain Awkward, uses an idea proposed by one of her commenters, known as The Sheelzebub Principle , which can help a lot when faced with a Skinner Box situation.

What if this never got better?

Can I live with this for another month? Another year? Another five years? Ten years? The rest of my life?

As soon as you recognise a Skinner Box you’d be advised to leave, they can cost you a lot of money, both directly and in therapy bills.