Nurturing behavioral repertoires within a nonsupportive environment.

The authors wrote a think-piece, not an experiment.

They warned that most schools, clinics, and hospitals still talk in mentalistic terms.

They urged behaviorists to build small, like-minded groups that praise precise behavioral talk.

No data were collected.

The core claim: if you lack a cheering squad, your scientific language will fade.

A private verbal community keeps your terms like reinforcement, stimulus, and contingency alive.

Roche et al. (2003) later showed we can widen that safe circle to include social constructionists.

They proved both camps reject mind-talk and treat words as tools, so we can team up.

Malagodi (1986) stretched the same idea bigger, saying behaviorism must study whole cultures to stay sharp.

Kirby et al. (2022) updated the tactic again: use cultural reciprocity—ask about others’ values—to keep partnerships behavioral.

Each paper keeps the 1983 heart: guard your language, just with larger and larger audiences.

You can’t shape client behavior if your own words drift into mind-speak.

Start a weekly 30-minute Zoom with two colleagues.

Praise each other only when you say behavior, not feelings.

Your technical tongue stays strong, and your programming stays clean.