Functional behaviorism: A plan for unity in psychology.

Functional behaviorism is an evolutionary stimulus-response psychology that applies to all behavior from reflexes to personality. It treats psychological phenomena as compounds of 3 processes--cognition, affect and reaction tendency--which are governed by 3 fundamental operating principles: (a) Behavior is an expression of potentials activated by instigation; (b) behavior is under the simultaneous control of excitation and inhibition; and (c) behavior is a blend of adaptation to events the individual cannot control and coping when control is possible. This view provides an organization that brings unity to the science of psychology. It is an offering of peace to the warring factions in the field. It holds out the hope of creating coherent programs of education in the discipline. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The continuing mischaracterization of radical behaviorism.

Contrary to R. W. Sperry's (see record 1989-00022-001) characterization, radical behaviorism (RB) is not reductive or atomistic. RB's central concept of the response class in antiatomistic, and its emphasis on the experimental analysis of behavior is not reductive. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

There is no room for scientism in scientific psychology: A comment on Mahoney.

Although M. J. Mahoney's (see record 1990-03226-001) distinction between scientific psychology (SP) and radical behaviorism (RB) is accurate, Mahoney has underestimated the intolerance engendered by RB and the consequences of resulting scientistic views. It is suggested that if the American Psychological Association is to retain its role as a representative of SP, a distinction between scientific and scientistic activities must be maintained. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conflicts and mixed signals in psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and Gestalt psychology.

At the turn of the 20th century, European psychologists found themselves in conflict situations with respect to the role that private mental states should play in a scientific psychology. Out of this conflict arose 3 of the best-known schools of the 20th century: psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and Gestalt psychology. Each of these schools is discussed with respect to two characteristics. First, the authors discuss the attitude of each school on the meaning of the word unconscious as it was understood around 1900. Second, the authors discuss the influence of each school on the reception accorded to books written around 1900 espousing viewpoints that did not cohere with the school's beliefs. Such books may be considered "missed signals" in the history of psychology. "Hits" associated with each school are also highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pre-unified separatism and rapprochement between behaviorism and cognitive psychology: The case of the reinforcer.

Psychology is in a preparadigmatic or pre-unified stage of scientific development. Two characteristics of psychology's status are: (1) lack of cumulative scientific growth and (2) experimental-theoretical overgeneralization. The reinforcer, as a construct in theories and as a critical element of behavioral change, has been a casualty of the separatism between such factions as radical behaviorism and cognitive psychology. In the end, psychology as a progressive science has been impeded, and psychological practitioners have been left to use intervention techniques that are not the most effective or efficient. In order to improve upon this situation, unification is needed between radical behaviorism and cognitive psychology, among other disciplines. However, the issue of the reinforcer is only one of many areas where such unification should be pursued and attained. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Scientific communication in psychology: Recent history and context.

Describes an approach to scientific communication that embodies the American Psychological Association's effort to develop a National Information System for Psychology (NISP). The characteristics of the NISP plan are outlined, noting that the NISP is a significant and complex venture in social change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Radical behaviorism, internal states, and the science of psychology: A reply to Skinner.

Responds to B. F. Skinner (see record 1988-00027-001) by addressing his 2 central misconceptions involving psychology's lack of empirical rigor and adverse effects of attention to variables that are not directly observable. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hermeneutics and behaviorism.

Comments on the work of M. J. Packer (see record 1986-10720-001) on the relevance of hermeneutics to psychological concerns, describing it as another example of assessing behaviorism without reference to current views as expressed by behaviorists themselves. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bakan and behaviorism.

Comments on D. Bakan's article "Clinical Psychology and Logic" (see record 1958-01108-001). In the aforementioned article, that part of Bakan's argument which leads him to conclude that the method of science may not be relevant to the study of human behavior, in addition to containing certain errors of reasoning, seems to reflect an essential misunderstanding of what is meant by the method of science. In addition to rejecting the method of science solely on the untenable basis of its fallacious equation with what he takes to be the behaviorist position in psychology, Bakan adduces as evidence in further support of his criticism certain observations made by Tolman, Rogers, and Hebb regarding the methods they employ in arriving at what they hope to be fruitful hypotheses in their respective areas of endeavor. This evidence is, of course, entirely irrelevant to the issue of the applicability of the scientific method to psychology. The method of science does not prescribe, proscribe, or in any way legislate the procedure to be adopted in arriving at a fruitful hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Kimble and behaviorism.

Contends that G. A. Kimble's (see record 1989-28023-001) suggestion that psychology can be seen as an integrated discipline misrepresents radical behaviorism (i.e., behavior analysis). The behavior-analytic approach to "private events" preserves the goals outlined by Kimble for an integrated psychology, yet avoids the problems associated with logical positivism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Important events and influences in Post-World War II American psychology.

Identified events and developments as most important for post-World War II 1945–1978) American psychology (PSY) based on a survey that was sent to 3 groups of American psychologists. 223 American Psychological Association members, 77 History of Psychology members, and 13 individuals who have written extensively about the history of PSY responded. Most important events included Skinner's contributions, emergence of behavior modification, and government funding of PSY. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Scientific psychology: What for?

Argues that discussions on the relevance of scientific psychology are meaningless without one's specifying the relevance to whom and for what. On the basis of 2 divergent concepts of science 2 kinds of psychology are distinguished. Each of these has different relevance to psychologists and to nonpsychologists for survival, the exercise of power, and making sense out of their experiences. Relevance differs for psychologists who reap pay-offs and for nonpsychologists who bear the costs of research, for those who control behavior, and for those who are being controlled. Concomitant with its relevance to psychologists for survival, power, and/or giving meaning to their lives, psychology as a science is hindered from advancing. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rectal trauma: management based on anatomic distinctions

Principles of rectal wound management, including routine diversion, injury repair, presacral drainage and distal washout, evolved from World War II and the Vietnam conflict and have been questioned in recent years. We believe significant confusion arises because of imprecise definition of injury location relative to retroperitoneal involvement. Our 5-year experience with penetrating rectal injuries at a Level I trauma center was analyzed. Injuries to the anterior and lateral surfaces of the upper two-thirds of the rectum were classified as intraperitoneal (IP, serosalized), and those of the posterior surface extraperitoneal (EP, no serosa); injuries to the lower one-third were EP. A total of 58 injuries were managed (92% gunshot wounds). Of these, 16 were IP, and 42 had some EP component. Ten patients underwent repair without diversion (6 IP, 4 EP); there were no leaks. Ten septic complications occurred in the remaining population: 2 necrotizing fasciitis, 5 abdominal abscess, and 3 presacral infections (PIs) (2 presacral abscesses and 1 wound tract infection). PI is the only complication that can be specifically associated with EP rectal injuries relative to management; as associated injury confounds interpretation of the other complications. The operative management in the 38 patients with diverted EP wounds with respect to presacral infection (PI) demonstrated the following: repair injury (n = 10), 0 PI versus no repair (n = 28), 3 PI (P = 0.55); washout (n = 33), 2 PI versus no washout (n = 5), 1 PI (P = 0.35); presacral drain (n = 30), 1 PI versus no drain (n = 8), 2 PI (P = 0.11). We conclude that most IP injuries can be managed with primary repair. EP wounds to the upper two-thirds of the rectum should usually be repaired. EP wounds to the lower one-third, which are explored and repaired, do not require drainage. EP wounds that are not explored should be managed with presacral drainage to minimize the incidence of presacral abscess.     

Existentialism and behaviorism: Some differences settled.

The existential and objective trends, predicted over a decade ago by Rogers, have been clearly manifested. Existentialists and behaviorists, viewing one another as stereotypic models, have failed to see their common underlying humanistic assumption. No longer need the two schools be separated by the free will-determinism duality. As behavioural technology advances, behaviourism leaves the Skinner box and becomes more prepared to assume the challenges of confronting human complexities. However, behaviourists still lack the semantically "warmer" language with which to communicate their increasingly broadening scope of activities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On cognitivism and behaviorism.

Comments on the article by R. W. Robins et al (see record 1999-00297-003) which examines trends in the prominence of 4 major schools of psychology by examining citation index trends and the content of articles in mainstream journals and dissertations. The author argues that behaviorism was never in the position of being the dominant school in mainstream scientific psychology to begin with, and it was not overtaken by cognitivism in the sense that behavior analysis is a field that has experienced continuous growth for decades. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aging and skill acquisition: Learning-performance distinctions.

This research examined the hypothesis that a conservative response bias in older persons interferes with the acquisition and mastery of cognitive skill. Twenty younger and 20 older Ss performed both consistent mapping and varied mapping versions of a memory search task. Half of the Ss in each group performed under speed stress instructions, whereas the remaining Ss performed under accuracy stress instructions. Older Ss exhibited less skilled performance than did younger Ss. A power function analysis attributed this to both age-related differences in the rate of associative learning and differences in asymptotic levels of performance. These results are at odds with A. D. Fisk and W. A. Rogers's (1991) hypothesis that age-related differences in automatization do not occur in memory search tasks. Results are interpreted in terms of a learning vs performance distinction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Herrnstein and the evolution of behaviorism.

Disagrees with R. J. Herrnstein's (1971) examination of the evolution of behaviorism. Specific areas of disagreement include Herrnstein's assertions that, "tacitly" or explicitly, the present author (a) minimized the role of phylogenic behavior, (b) "forswore exact prediction and instead sought quantitative laws," (c) incorrectly identified "the natural lines of fracture along which behavior and environment actually break," (d) assumed that there were only a few "drives," (e) unjustifiably overlooked the "hedonic value of stimuli," and (f) became interested in behavioral engineering only at a relatively late date. Herrnstein's theory of self-reinforcement in the explanation of behavior clearly attributable to natural selection is considered to be an unnecessary appeal to environmentalism. A science of behavior must deal with both phylogeny and ontogeny, but Herrnstein has not pointed toward a useful rapprochement. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Existential behaviorism: A transactionalistic approach to self-determination.

Existential behaviorism is a transactionalistic approach to the free will-determinism controversy in psychology. This relativistic view gives equal importance to both schools, advocating that self-determination involves the free choice of shaping one's own destiny using, perhaps, a knowledge of cause and effect principles of behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Scientific problem solver model: A resolution for professional controversies in school psychology.

The school psychology scientific problem solver model (SPSM) provides a superordinate training structure that facilitates resolution of 3 major controversies affecting the preparation of school psychologists: scientist vs practitioner, psychologist vs educator, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education—National Association of School Psychologists vs the American Psychological Association standards for accreditation. The present article describes the adaptation of the SPSM to school psychology training and explores the implications of the SPSM for the resolution of these professional issues. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Scientific communication: The dissemination system in psychology and a theoretical framework for planning innovations.

"About 1000 persons make presentations at a single annual national convention of APA, and an equal number appear before meetings of regional associations affiliated with APA. There are close to 1000 journals of some interest to psychologists. About 20 of these journals may be considered central. 200-300 technical books relevant to psychological work are published each year." There appear to be "only about 2000 psychologists who are extremely active in scientific communication within psychology." 2 diagrams are provided, one indicating in detail the process of the dissemination of scientific information from work production to secondary publication and the other suggesting an innovation on the system for the dissemination of scientific information in psychology. Major sections are: Discussion of some findings. Dissemination as a dynamic process. Effects of innovation upon the dynamic process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)