Super Short Summary

Opening Skinner’s Box: Great Psychological Experiments of the Twentieth Century by Lauren Slater explores ten landmark psychological experiments, from B.F. Skinner’s behaviorism boxes to Harry Harlow’s primate studies. Through biographical details, personal anecdotes, and interviews, Slater humanizes the scientists and examines philosophical questions about human freedom, scientific limits, and truth. Topics of authority, human evil, emotional attachment, addiction, memory malleability, and psychosurgery are detailed in the context of these experiments. Note: The book addresses topics such as human evil, emotional trauma, and psychosurgery.