Who is most closely associated with the principles of behaviorism?

B.F. Skinner is most closely associated with the principles of behaviorism due to his significant contributions to the field and his development of the concepts surrounding operant conditioning. Skinner's research focused on how behavior is influenced by its consequences, emphasizing the role of reinforcement and punishment in shaping behavior. He conducted extensive experiments using reinforcement schedules and demonstrated how behavior could be modified through systematic rewards and consequences, laying the foundation for many behaviorism theories and practices in psychology.

Although other figures, such as Albert Bandura, also made substantial contributions to psychology, particularly with social learning theory and the concept of observational learning, Skinner's work is foundational in the behaviorist tradition. Freud's focus on the unconscious mind and Piaget's emphasis on cognitive development situate them outside the behaviorist perspective, which primarily deals with observable behaviors rather than internal mental states or developmental stages.