Experimental analysis of behavior

Experimental analysis of behavior
Name	Experimental analysis of behavior
Founded	Mid-20th century
Key people	B. F. Skinner, Charles Ferster, Murray Sidman
Parent field	Behaviorism, Psychology
Subfields	Operant conditioning, Applied behavior analysis

Experimental analysis of behavior. It is a natural science approach to the study of behavior, founded primarily on the work of B. F. Skinner. This discipline emphasizes the study of behavior as a subject matter in its own right, focusing on observable and measurable interactions between an organism and its environment. Its core methodology involves the intensive study of individual subjects over time under carefully controlled experimental conditions to discover the fundamental laws governing behavior.

History and origins

The field was formally established by B. F. Skinner, building upon the philosophical framework of radical behaviorism and diverging from the methodological behaviorism of John B. Watson. Key early work was conducted at Harvard University and involved the development of the operant conditioning chamber, often called the Skinner box. Pioneering researchers like Charles Ferster collaborated with Skinner on seminal works such as Schedules of Reinforcement, while others like Murray Sidman developed powerful techniques such as stimulus equivalence. The founding of the journal Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior in 1958, published by the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, provided a dedicated outlet for this research. Early influences also included the work of Ivan Pavlov on classical conditioning, which Skinner distinguished from operant processes.

Basic principles and concepts

The central principle is the three-term contingency, encompassing the relations among antecedent stimuli, behavior, and reinforcing or punishing consequences. Reinforcement, which increases the future probability of a behavior, is a fundamental process, with distinctions made between positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Punishment involves consequences that decrease behavior. Behavior is understood to be primarily selected by its consequences, a concept analogous to natural selection in evolutionary biology. Other key concepts include stimulus control, where behavior comes under the control of specific environmental events, and the analysis of verbal behavior as operant behavior.

Experimental methods and designs

The hallmark methodology is the use of single-subject experimental designs, which allow for the intensive study of individual organisms. The reversal design (ABA) and its variations demonstrate experimental control by showing that behavior changes with the manipulation of independent variables. The multiple baseline design demonstrates control across different behaviors, settings, or subjects. The changing criterion design is used to shape behavior gradually. These designs rely on continuous, direct measurement of behavior, often recorded automatically in apparatus like the operant conditioning chamber for non-human subjects or through precise observation in human research.

Key areas of research

A major area is the exhaustive study of schedules of reinforcement, such as fixed-ratio and variable-interval schedules, and their effects on response patterns like the scalloping effect. Research on choice behavior and matching law was advanced by Richard Herrnstein. The study of behavioral pharmacology examines how drugs affect operant behavior, a field pioneered by Peter Dews. Other significant areas include avoidance learning, stimulus equivalence and derived relational responding, behavioral economics, which integrates concepts from microeconomics, and the experimental analysis of verbal behavior.

Applications

The principles discovered have been directly applied to form the basis of applied behavior analysis (ABA), which is used extensively in education and therapy. Notable applications include early intensive behavioral intervention for autism spectrum disorder, organizational behavior management in settings like General Motors, and behavioral safety programs. The token economy is a widespread application in institutional settings like psychiatric hospitals. These applications also extend to areas such as sports psychology, behavioral medicine for issues like obesity, and animal training in contexts ranging from Guide Dogs for the Blind to marine mammal care at facilities like SeaWorld.

Relation to other disciplines

It is the basic science foundation for applied behavior analysis, with the latter focusing on socially significant behavior change. It maintains a close but distinct relationship with behavioral neuroscience, which seeks to identify the neurobiological correlates of behavioral processes. It shares historical roots with, but is philosophically distinct from, methodological behaviorism and cognitive psychology. Its natural science approach aligns it with other experimental sciences like biology and ethology, while its focus on learning connects it to fields like comparative psychology. The philosophy underlying the approach is radical behaviorism, which addresses private events but rejects dualism.

Category:Behaviorism Category:Psychology disciplines