User:Brionnanichole/sandbox

Life
Keller was born Jan. 2, 1899 on a farm near Rural Grove, NY in Montgomery County. He is the only child to Vrooming Barney Keller and Minnie Vanderveer Simmons. Due to instability in his childhood, he left school at an early age to peruse employment as a Western Union telegrapher in Saranac Lake, NY. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1918 during World War I and served in Camp Jackson, SC in addition to active duty overseas in France and Germany. While in France, he served in battle five times, and in Germany he participated in the Army of Occupation. Keller exited the military ranking as a sergeant in August of 1919.

Keller attended Goddard Seminary, in which he received athletic scholarship in 1919. However, he was accepted to Tufts College in 1920 through a scholarship and decided to attend there. Originally Keller had left school due to discrepancies with his attendance, however, he returned to Tufts with a focus in psychology a few years later. He earned a B.S. from Tufts College in 1926 and was awarded an academic position in which he was employed for, for two years. Keller attended Harvard University for graduate school following his bachelor’s degree in addition to teaching at Tufts. Additionally, he took part in a position at Harvard College as a laboratory assistant and a tutor. Keller received his master’s degree in 1928 and left Harvard College in 1931. He found a job at Colgate University during the great depression, and remained there for seven years until 1938. Following Colgate University he was offered a position at Columbia University; he was named assistant professor in 1942, associate professor in 1946, and professor of psychology in 1950. He also served as chairman of the department from 1959 to 1962 and became professor emeritus of psychology in 1964, the same year he retired from the university. In 1963 Keller was invited to Brazil to Sᾶo Paulo to incorporate his new psychology into their existing academics. Keller returned to the U.S. and was invited back to Brazil, this time to University of Brazίla, where he was instructed to continue his development of his new findings. Upon returning for good, Keller was employed at the Institute for Behavioral Research, as well as Western Michigan University, Texas Christian University, and Georgetown University. Keller spent his time as a visiting professor, ajunct professor, as well the chair at the listed universities. He retired in May 1976 from Georgetown University. Additionally, he took part in a position at Harvard College as a laboratory assistant and a tutor. Keller received his master’s degree in 1928 and left Harvard College in 1931. He found a job at Colgate University during the great depression, and remained there for seven years until 1938. Following Colgate University he was offered a position at Columbia University; he was named assistant professor in 1942, associate professor in 1946, and professor of psychology in 1950. He also served as chairman of the department from 1959 to 1962 and became professor emeritus of psychology in 1964, the same year he retired from the university. In 1963 Keller was invited to Brazil to Sᾶo Paulo to incorporate his new psychology into their existing academics. Keller returned to the U.S. and was invited back to Brazil, this time to University of Brazίla, where he was instructed to continue his development of his new findings. Upon returning for good, Keller was employed at the Institute for Behavioral Research, as well as Western Michigan University, Texas Christian University, and Georgetown University. Keller spent his time as a visiting professor, ajunct professor, as well the chair at the listed universities. He retired in May 1976 from Georgetown University

Keller’s students appreciated him as their instructor, as well as appreciated his frequent reinforcers of their behavior. His “theoretical commitment to the power of positive reinforcement… he delivered were never routine…” but “mechanical repetitions of ‘uhhunh’ or ‘good’”. It was seen as a possible plan to increase academic performance and often singled out his students to denote praise. He was recognized throughout his life and was liked by many. After his death, a memorial was held in San Francisco by the Association for Behavior Analysis, in which over two hundred people took part in. Keller was also recognized for his “effects of his lectures on one student’s behavior… efficacy of his teaching…” and “graceful flow of sentence into paragraph”.