The history of behavior analysis: Some historiography and a bibliography.
Write ABA history like a detective: cite the original paper and tell readers which lens you used.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Morris et al. (1990) wrote a how-to guide for anyone who wants to tell the story of behavior analysis.
They list old books, letters, and data sheets you can read. They also name two ways to write history.
One way looks only inside the field. The other way looks at outside forces like money and politics.
What they found
The paper does not give new data. It gives a map.
Follow the map and your history will rest on real papers, not rumors.
How this fits with other research
Fantino (1981) already showed ABA spreading into schools and clinics. Morris et al. (1990) say, "If you write that story, show your sources."
Koegel et al. (1992) later traced early lab work to help for people with dual diagnosis. They used the same source-first rule Morris et al. (1990) asked for.
Morris et al. (2021) counted only 12 LGBTQ+ papers in our field. Their hunt through old journals is a live example of the method Morris et al. (1990) drew up.
Why it matters
Next time you quote "Skinner said," open the 1957 book and take the page number. If you write a lit review for a grant, say which database you used and which years you searched. These small moves keep our stories straight and our field credible.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This article has two main purposes. First, it introduces the discipline of historiography and, second, it provides a selected bibliography on the history of behavior analysis. In introducing the former in the context of the latter, four important methodological considerations involved in the process and product of historiography are described: The sources from which historical materials are drawn (i.e., primary, secondary, and tertiary) and three dimensions along which historiography is conducted and evaluated-internalist vs. externalist, great person vs. Zeitgeist, and presentist vs. historicist. Integrated throughout are four purposes for the historiography of behavior analysis, as well as an overview of the topics covered in the extant literature. The manuscript concludes with a listing of current bibliographic material by publication type and topic.
The Behavior analyst, 1990 · doi:10.1007/BF03392530