Experimental analysis of behavior

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The experimental analysis of behavior is the name given to the approach to experimental psychology founded by B. F. Skinner. As its name suggests, its central principle was the rejection of a theoretical analysis, in particular the kinds of learning theory that had grown up in the comparative psychology of the 1920-1950 period, in favor of a more direct approach. This direct approach was characterized by empirical, measurable behavior which could be predicted and controlled. It owed its early success to the effectiveness of Skinner's procedures of operant conditioning, both in the laboratory and in behavior therapy.

Contents 1 Philosophical Basis of Behavioral Research 2 Experimental Tools in Behavioral Research 3 An Anti-Theoretical Analysis? 4 Notable Figures in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Philosophical Basis of Behavioral Research

Laboratory methods employed in the experimental analysis of behavior are based upon B.F. Skinner's philosophy of radical behaviorism, which asserts that:

1. Everything that organisms do is behavior (including the cognitive behavior of humans), and
2. All behavior is lawful, which lends itself to experimental control.

Central to behavioral experiments is the use of the S-R-S Three-Term Contingency (Stimulus-Response-Stimulus) to investigate the control of behavior. This is summarized more accurately with the following acrostic: Antecedents, Behavior, and Consequences (A-B-C).

• Antecedents are stimuli that elicit a response from an organism. In the case of respondent (reflexive) behavior, this can refer to an unconditioned stimulus or a conditioned stimulus. In the case of operant behavior, an antecedent is referred to as a discriminative stimulus, which evokes a learned response.

• Antecedents also include Motivating Operations that establish whether or not an organism's behavior will be affected by a consequence.^[1] Such antecedent states include Establishing Operations which increase the effectiveness of its corresponding consequence and Abolishing Operations which decrease its effectiveness. Besides modulating the effectiveness of consequences, these Motivating Operations can also acquire discriminative control over an organism's behavior.^[2] For example, an organism which is in a state of hunger (establishes food as an effective reinforcer) is more likely to engage in behavior that has previously resulted in being fed, while an organism in a satiated state (abolishes the effectiveness of food as a reinforcer) is not likely to engage in such behavior.

• Behavior consists of a response to an antecedent stimulus. In the case of respondent behavior, this can refer to an unconditioned response or a conditioned response. With operant behavior, this refers to a discriminative response which, unlike respondent behavior, can be modified by the consequences that follow it.

• Consequences can consist of a reinforcing stimulus or a punishing stimulus which follows and modifies an operant response.

[edit] Experimental Tools in Behavioral Research

The most commonly used tool in animal behavioral research is the Operant Conditioning Chamber, popularly referred to as the "Skinner Box." The chamber is an enclosure designed to hold a test animal (often a rat or pigeon). The interior of the chamber can contain a variety of devices that serve the role of antecedents, such as electronic buzzers or light-emitting diodes. The chamber also includes at least one mechanism to measure the subject's behavior as a rate of response, such as a lever. Finally, the chamber includes a mechanism for the delivery of consequences, such as a food pellet dispenser or an electrified grid built into the floor of the chamber.

The Cumulative Recorder is a graphing instrument used to record the responses of a subject. The horizontal axis represents time and the vertical axis represents the cumulative number of the subject's responses. Traditionally, its graphing mechanism has consisted of a rotating drum of paper equipped with a marking needle. The needle would start at the bottom of the page and the drum would turn the roll of paper horizontally towards the left. If no response is recorded, this results in a flat horizontal line being drawn upon the paper as the drum turns. If the subject performs a response, the marking needle moves up along the paper one tick. For every response, the needle moves up vertically one tick and does not move down until the top of the page is reached. This makes it possible for the rate of response to be calculated by finding the slope of the graph at a given point.

For example: If the subject's responses occur at a regular rate, the needle moves vertically at a regular rate, resulting in a straight diagonal line rising towards the right across the page. If the subject's responses are accelerating, the needle will accelerate vertically, resulting in a "J-shaped" rise on the graph. If the subject's responses are decelerating, the needle will move up vertically at a slowing rate, resulting in a graph that looks like an up-side down "J", or like a line going up and leveling off as if approaching the summit of a round hill. Once the needle reaches the top of the page, the needle resets to the bottom of the page to continue recording as the drum continues to turn. For the most part, cumulative records are no longer graphed using rotating drums, but are recorded electronically instead.

[edit] An Anti-Theoretical Analysis?

Skinner's own use of the intervening variable of response strength to explain the effects of reinforcement has led many to question the popular notion that the experimental analysis of behavior is anti-theoretical. The idea that Skinner's position is anti-theoretical is probably inspired by the arguments he put forth in his article Are Theories of Learning Necessary? However, Skinner does not argue against the use of theory as such, only against certain theories in certain contexts. Skinner argued that many theories did not explain behavior, but simply offered another layer of structure that itself had to be explained in turn. If an organism is said to have a drive, which causes its behavior, what then causes the drive? Skinner argued that so-called theory often had the effect of halting research or generating useless research.

[edit] Notable Figures in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

• Ogden Lindsley - founder of the Precision Teaching approach to teaching.
• Fred S. Keller - founder of the Personalized System of Instruction.
• Jack Michael.

and many others.

[edit] References

1. ^ Laraway, S., Snycerski, S., Michael, J., & Poling, A. (2003). Motivating operations and terms to describe them: Some further refinements. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 36, 407-413.
2. ^ Ibid.

[edit] External links

• The Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior has been the flagship journal for behavioral research since 1958.
• The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis explores what is considered to be the more applied areas of the experimental analysis of behavior.
• Behavioural Pharmacology publishes research on the effects of drugs, chemicals, and hormones on schedule-controlled operant behavior, as well as research into "the neurochemical mechanisms underlying behaviour."