Howard Rachlin: An extended scientist
Rachlin's extended self links waiting and sharing—use it to teach broad, durable skills, not tiny tricks.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Locey (2023) wrote a tribute to Howard Rachlin. The paper explains Rachlin's idea of the 'extended self.'
The extended self says our choices link across time and people. Delay discounting and social cooperation are two sides of the same coin.
What they found
The review shows Rachlin's view treats behavior as big, molar patterns, not tiny button presses.
These patterns help us see why clients who wait for larger rewards also share more with others.
How this fits with other research
Baum (2021) makes a similar point: stop slicing behavior into split-second presses and look at the whole stream.
Belisle et al. (2022) take the molar idea into ACT work. They say flexible relational framing helps clients build bigger, cooperative patterns.
Davison et al. (2005) warn that science itself is shaped by reward. Rachlin's molar lens pushes us to value long-term, replicable work over quick, flashy results.
Why it matters
Next time you write a program, zoom out. Ask if the skill you are teaching now will still matter next year and to other people. Frame goals as extended patterns—'shares toys for 10 minutes' instead of 'one prompt-free share.' Then watch both patience and teamwork grow together.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
During the latter half of his career, Rachlin's work increasingly focused on integrating the study of temporal discounting and social cooperation-choices for an extended self. His notion of a self that is extended across time and social space is a useful framework within which to consider Rachlin's impact as a philosopher, scientist, and mentor over the course of his 56-year career in behavior science.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 2023 · doi:10.1002/jeab.819