People are often presumed to be vulnerable to a desirability bias, namely, a tendency to be overoptimistic about a future outcome as a result of their preferences or desires for that outcome. In this article, this form of wishful thinking is distinguished from the more general concepts of motivated reasoning and overoptimism, and the evidence for…

Analog baselines are an experimental methodology for identifying the functions of maladaptive behavior of individuals with developmental disabilities in naturally occurring environments. This article identifies potential limitations of this methodology, including: fidelity of baseline design conditions, a narrow analysis of behavior, and limited…

The presentations and tables in this document deal with the development of mastery motivation from infancy to early preschool years. Discussion was focused on three questions: (1) whether mastery motivation can be measured in infants and young children; (2) whether it is possible to distinguish mastery motivation from cognitive functioning; and…

This article overviews and evaluates Raymond B. Cattell's integration of psychology and ethics. It describes his views on the psychological bases of individual morality and values: superego strength, motivation, and religious sentiment. Cattell's proposed ethical system, Beyondism, based on scientific method rather than rationality alone, is also…

Reviews basic ideas presented in this special issue on the evolution of behaviorism. Topics addressed include stimulus and response; research with animals; applications to education and training; human motivation; theory through computer programs; experimental analysis of behavior; behaviorism moving into other disciplines; cognitive…

This volume contains 19 essays on current research in representative areas of psychology. Although a few authors are from other countries, the majority of the authors are professors and researchers at universities in the United States, representing departments of psychology, education, human development, behavioral sciences, and psychiatry. The…

In this overview of his research in personality theory, Cattell describes the play of people, situations, and, ideas enacted over 30 years in his University of Illinois laboratory. Establishing meaningful empirical measurement methods was the foundation for further research into many aspects of personality development. (BS)