Understanding Behaviorism Behavior, Culture, and Evolution

About this book

Understanding Behaviorism is a classic textbook that explains the basis of behaviour analysis and its application to human problems in a scholarly but accessible manner.
- Now in its third edition, the text has been substantially updated to include the latest developments over the last decade in behaviour analysis, evolutionary theory, and cultural evolution theory
- The only book available that explains behaviour analysis and applies it to philosophical and practical problems, written by one of today’s best-known and most highly respected behaviourists
- Explores ancient concepts such as purpose, language, knowledge, and thought, as well as applying behavioural thinking to contemporary social issues like freedom, democracy, and culture
- Part of the new evolutionary perspective for understanding individual behaviour in general and culture in particular – culminates with practical approaches to improving the lives of all humanity

Contents

Preface to the Third Edition xv
Acknowledgements xvii

Part I What is Behaviorism? 1
1 Behaviorism: Definition and History 3
2 Behaviorism as Philosophy of Science 19
3 Public, Private, Natural, and Fictional 33

Part II A Scientific Model of Behavior 57
4 Evolutionary Theory and Reinforcement 59
5 Purpose and Reinforcement 81
6 Stimulus Control and Knowledge 97
7 Verbal Behavior and Language 117
8 Rule‐Governed Behavior and Thinking 141

Part III Social Issues 159
9 Freedom 161
10 Responsibility, Credit, and Blame 177
11 Relationships, Management, and Government 187
12 Values: Religion and Science 207
13 The Evolution of Culture 227
14 Design of Culture: Experimenting for Survival 257

Glossary 275
Index 295

Customer Reviews

Biography

William M. Baum is Professor Emeritus at the University of New Hampshire and a Research Associate at University of California, Davis. He taught for seven years at Harvard University and for more than twenty years at the University of New Hampshire. He has published over one hundred journal articles. These have presented quantitative laboratory research, theoretical contributions, and philosophical contributions. His research interests include choice, cultural evolution, behavioural processes, and philosophy of behaviour.