ERIC Number: EJ806337
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0033-2933
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Available Date: N/A
The Long Good-Bye: Why B. F. Skinner's "Verbal Behavior" Is Alive and Well on the 50th Anniversary of Its Publication
Schlinger, Henry D.
Psychological Record, v58 n3 p329-337 Sum 2008
The year 2007 marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of B. F. Skinner's "Verbal Behavior", a book that by Skinner's own account was his most important. The received view, however, is that a devastating review by a young linguist not only rendered Skinner's interpretation of language moot but was also a major factor in ending the hegemony of behaviorism in psychology and paving the way for a cognitive revolution. Nevertheless, in taking stock of "Verbal Behavior" and behaviorism, both appear to be thriving. This article suggests that Verbal Behavior and behaviorism remain vital partly because they have generated successful practical applications. (Contains 2 figures and 2 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Verbal Stimuli, Verbal Communication, Behaviorism, Cultural Influences, Verbal Operant Conditioning, Behavior Modification, Autism, Developmental Delays, Book Reviews
Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Mailcode 4609, Rehabilitation Institute, Carbondale, IL 62901-4609. Tel: 618-536-7704; e-mail: psychrec@siu.edu; Web site: http://www.siuc.edu/~ThePsychologicalRecord/index.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
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