Skinner Was Probably NOT a Determinist: The Explanatory Power of Selectionism is the kind of topic that looks straightforward until it collides with the speed, ambiguity, and competing demands of language assessment, teaching sessions, caregiver coaching, and natural communication routines. In Skinner Was Probably NOT a Determinist: The Explanatory Power of Selectionism, for this course, the practical stakes show up in clearer case conceptualization, better instructional targets, and stronger generalization, not in abstract discussion alone.
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Join Free →Most assert that Skinner served a deterministic agenda, that all behavior is strictly "caused" by the environment. While determinism is a certain pilar of behavior analysis, Skinner was likely not a determinist, philosophically, as most think. This is due to an examination of his writings where he provides a probabilistic account of human behavior. Thus, it is our point to show that Skinner's radical behaviorism is based on a probabilistic, selectionist, and pragmatic epistemology rather than one that presumes exact causal necessitation. In other words, we will show that Skinner abandoned determinism as a mode of explanation as he found it irrelevant because humans cannot know all the variables as he argued in various writings. Abductively, the role of the "scientist" is to find the most evidence to interpret the data to make predications regarding the object of study. While for scientific study, behavior may be lawful, but those behaviors will be selected due to certain random variations in the ontogenetic development of the individual. Thus, to account for this, we will show that Skinner created a functional, descriptive, and pragmatic view of science based on all variables possible, as a result, he found determinism irrelevant because those elements of science do not lead to a causal connection, only probability. What Skinner does is to focus on random variations within the study of behavior. He compares operant conditioning to natural selection, where it is the organism's ability to select those behaviors that produce a probabilistic contingency, and if reinforced, strengthens the likelihood that the behavior survives. Reinforcement increases the probability that the selected behavior will be emitted again under similar circumstances, but not exactly. Implications for freedom stem from the study of the randomness of variations. Furthermore, as many make the case that with determinism, freedom becomes impaired; however, we will state that Skinner's selectionist view expresses a compatibilist view where one is free, yet behavior is emitted as a response to stimuli found in the environment. We argue that Skinner championed freedom because he implied that freedom is to be found in the randomness of variations, or the ability for the individual to select behaviors that work to solve problems, create things, or engage in tasks, thereby making determinism irrelevant. In sum, the organism's ability to behave in random and accidental ways depend on "unforeseen variations and adventitious contingencies of selection." We will ultimately show that selectionism serves as the essential element of Skinner's science to explain accounts rather than determinism. In short, Skinner was likely not a determinist but created a selectionist account of behavior via his three-term contingency.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | General |
| COA | 1 | — |
| FL MH/PSY | 1 | — |
Christopher M Stabile, Ed.D. BCBA-D served as an academic leader at a large university in FL from 2005-2023 where he lead a successful teaching and learning community (TLC) that focused on helping faculty take ownership of their educational performance. He currently serves as an ESE Staffing Specialist and Dean of Middle School in Martin County. Moreover, Dr. Stabile served as an award-winning adjunct online and on-ground undergraduate and graduate faculty member in philosophy, applied behavior analysis, and education. To keep professionally active, he continuously presents various academic topics at national conferences. He co-edited a book entitled Constructivism Reconsidered within the Age of Social Media. His work in the field of ABA focuses on the prophetization of B F Skinner's philosophical understanding in verbal behavior, society, epistemology, and science in order to develop better practitioners.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
183 research articles with practitioner takeaways
177 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.