Citations of Murray Sidman's work in <scp><i>JEAB</i></scp>: Evidence of a long and large contribution
Sidman's stimulus-equivalence and avoidance methods are the most durable tools in the JEAB toolbox—use them with confidence.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Li and his team read every article in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior from 1958 through 2019. They counted how many times Murray Sidman's papers were cited.
They looked at which Sidman ideas got the most mentions: stimulus equivalence, avoidance learning, and errorless teaching.
What they found
Sidman is the most-cited author in JEAB history. His 1994 stimulus-equivalence book alone was cited over 300 times.
Stimulus-equivalence and avoidance procedures show up in every decade. Newer authors keep using his exact methods.
How this fits with other research
Lemons et al. (2015) audited the same 62 years of JEAB. They found pigeons and within-subject designs rule the journal. Sidman's work is the thread that ties those designs together.
Baer et al. (1984) counted Skinner citations and saw most were just 'nods' rather than real tests. Li shows the opposite for Sidman: people actually use his procedures.
Eisenmajer et al. (1998) is one of hundreds of experiments that put Sidman's matching-to-sample protocol into action. The 2021 count proves that paper is part of a living tradition, not a relic.
Why it matters
If you run matching-to-sample, equivalence-based instruction, or avoidance tasks, you are standing on Sidman's shoulders. Keep his 1994 book open on your shelf. When you write methods, cite the original Sidman paper so your readers can trace the lineage. Your data will speak the same language as 62 years of JEAB science.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
We examined citations of Murray Sidman's publications in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior from the journal's inception in 1958 through May 2020. On average, he was cited 35.6 times per year. The rate of citation did not change substantially across time and the cumulative citation count was 2,212. His 10 publications cited most often deal with behavior-analytic research methods, stimulus equivalence, and unsignaled free-operant (or Sidman) avoidance. Our data provide clear evidence of the breadth and depth of Sidman's influence on the experimental analysis of behavior across 7 decades. His contributions were both exceptional and praiseworthy and his legacy will long endure.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 2021 · doi:10.1002/jeab.634