Quantitative prediction and molar description of the environment

Area of Science:

• Behavioral science
• Psychology
• Animal behavior

Background:

• Contrasting molecular and molar explanations of behavior.
• Highlighting limitations of momentary event-based analyses.
• Introducing the concept of aggregate event-based analyses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To argue for the superiority of molar explanations in behavioral science.
• To demonstrate the inadequacy of molecular approaches for quantitative prediction.
• To present molar theory as a framework for understanding behavior-environment interactions.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of molecular and molar explanatory frameworks.
• Examination of hypothetical constructs in molecular behaviorism.
• Application of feedback functions to describe environmental properties and behavioral dependencies.

Main Results:

• Molecular explanations necessitate imprecise hypothetical constructs or become superfluous when precise.
• Molar accounts provide simpler, more straightforward explanations for phenomena like schedule-induced behavior.
• Molar theory, incorporating feedback functions, enables quantitative prediction of behavior.

Conclusions:

• Molar explanations are essential for a quantitative science of behavior.
• Behavior and environment function as a feedback system, requiring molar analysis.
• Molar thinking facilitates accurate prediction in both laboratory and field research.