Sidney w. Bijou: the illinois years, 1965-1975.
Strong mentorship plus a cooperative lab creates the next wave of behavior-analytic leaders.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Morris (2008) tells the story of Sidney Bijou at the University of Illinois. The paper covers the years 1965 to 1975.
It is a narrative review. The author gathered memories and records to show how Bijou shaped students and colleagues.
What they found
Bijou built a lively lab. People worked together, shared data, and stayed friends for life.
His style mixed high standards with warm support. Many of his trainees became leaders in behavior analysis.
How this fits with other research
Rodriguez (2025) extends Bijou’s model. The 2025 presidential address turns the Illinois vibe into three rules: be on time, work the full session, focus without distraction.
Agras (2012) is methodologically similar. It tells how Michel Hersen ran his Mississippi program from 1969-1974. Both papers honor one scholar’s university decade.
Charles Mace (2018) looks at Tony Nevin’s shift from basic to translational work. It shows another path one behavior analyst can influence the field, but through research pivots rather than mentorship.
Why it matters
You can copy Bijou’s lab culture today. Set clear expectations, model kindness, and give students real projects. Invite them to co-author, share equipment, and celebrate wins together. A tight-knit team multiplies your impact long after the semester ends.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Sidney W. Bijou is among the founders of behavior analysis, but the record of his contributions is incomplete. It has not systematically described his contributions beyond his tenure at the University of Washington (1948-1965). The purpose of this paper is to describe his contributions over the course of the next decade-his years at the University of Illinois (1965-1975). I begin by reviewing his education and training, contributions at Washington, and why he left and moved to Illinois. Then, I describe his Illinois years: his appointments, colleagues, and service; the Child Behavior Laboratory; grant funding and publications; further service, awards, and recognition; and influence on his colleagues, students, classroom teachers and research supervisors, and visiting scholars. Bijou is modest about his contributions at Illinois, but he advanced the field in many ways over the course of the decade, especially the careers of his colleagues and students.
The Behavior analyst, 2008 · doi:10.1007/BF03392170