Week 3: Radical Behaviorism

In his own words, psychologist and behaviorist B. F. Skinner explained radical behaviorism as, “the philosophy of a science of behavior treated as a subject matter in its own right apart from internal explanations, mental or physiological” (p. 122).

This week focuses on the principles of radical behaviorism. You will examine the history of behaviorism and how the development of Skinner’s radical behaviorism was a significant departure from the historical conceptual systems of behaviorism preceding its emergence. Using the principles of radical behaviorism, you will consider your own life experiences, or life experiences you have observed in others, that seem to exemplify Skinner’s learning principles and employ your judgment regarding their effectiveness and appropriateness.

Reference:
Skinner, B. F. (1989). Recent issues in the analysis of behavior. Merrill.

Learning Objectives
Students will:

Evaluate radical behaviorism
Evaluate the principles of radical behaviorism to one’s life and behaviors
Learning Resources

Required Readings
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.

Chapter 1, “Definition and Characteristics of Applied Behavior Analysis” (pp. 2–24)
(Previously read in Week 1) PSYC 6717: Foundation and Philosophy of Behavior Analysis

Moore, J. (2011). Behaviorism. The Psychological Record, 61(3), 449–463. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395771

Credit Line: Behaviorism by Moore, J., in The Psychological Record, Vol. 61/ Issue 3. Copyright 2011 by Denison University. Reprinted by permission of Denison University via the Copyright Clearance Center. Licensed in 2021.

Moxley, R. A. (2004). Pragmatic selectionism: The philosophy of behavior analysis. The Behavior Analyst Today, 5(1), 108–125. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0100137

Required Media
Walden University, LLC. (2021). Radical behaviorism [Video]. Walden University Blackboard. https://class.waldenu.edu

Note: This media program is approximately 42 minutes.

Accessible player
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Download Transcript
Walden University, LLC. (2021). Skinner’s radical behaviorism [Interactive media]. Walden University Blackboard. https://class.waldenu.edu

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