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Related Experiment Videos

Teleological behaviorism.

H Rachlin1

  • 1Department, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794.

The American Psychologist
|November 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study differentiates psychological science based on efficient causes (how behavior occurs) from that based on final causes (why behavior occurs). Efficient-cause psychology explains internal mechanisms, while final-cause psychology focuses on external goals.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychological Science
  • Philosophy of Psychology

Background:

  • Psychological explanations of behavior traditionally fall into two categories: efficient causes and final causes.
  • Efficient causes focus on internal mechanisms, while final causes emphasize external goals and objectives.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To distinguish between psychological science based on efficient causes and that based on final causes.
  • To clarify the distinct questions each approach aims to answer regarding overt behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of psychological causality.
  • Distinguishing between "how" (efficient) and "why" (final) questions in behavior.

Main Results:

  • Efficient-cause psychology explains behavior through internal mechanisms (e.g., physiological, cognitive, Skinnerian behaviorism).

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  • Final-cause psychology, termed teleological behaviorism, explains behavior through external objects and goals.
  • Each causal conception implies a unique perspective on the mind and mental terminology.

    • Conclusions:

    • The distinction between efficient and final causes offers a framework for understanding different psychological approaches.
    • Recognizing these causal frameworks is crucial for interpreting the meaning of mental terms and concepts in psychology.