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Cognition, behavior, and the experimental analysis of behavior
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|November 1, 1984
Summary
This study explores how differing views on theory in behavioral research impact experimental analysis. It suggests alternative perspectives on reinforcement contingencies could broaden theoretical and methodological approaches in behavior science.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Experimental Psychology
Background:
- The dominant research program in the experimental analysis of behavior often follows specific theoretical assumptions.
- B.F. Skinner's views on theory and observation have shaped traditional conceptions of reinforcement contingencies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To illustrate how a specific research program diverged from the modal approach in behavioral research.
- To examine the influence of theoretical perspectives on the study of behavior and reinforcement.
Main Methods:
- Case history analysis of a particular research program.
- Comparative analysis of theoretical frameworks in behavioral research.
Main Results:
- A key difference lies in the role and nature of theory within behavioral research programs.
- Alternative conceptions of reinforcement contingencies, emphasizing temporal patterning, align with different theoretical pictures of behavior.
- These alternative pictures support diverse theoretical approaches, including cognitive models, mathematical analyses, and computer simulations.
Conclusions:
- The experimental analysis of behavior may benefit from embracing a broader range of views on theory, methodology, and conceptualizations of behavior.
- Future directions could involve integrating cognitive and computational methods alongside traditional behavioral approaches.