PHBA8200 The philosophical and conceptual basis of radical behaviorism and behavior analysis Course description

General admission requirements for the Ph.D. Degree in Behavior Analysis

Students will be able to:

• describe and discuss the philosophical and conceptual basis of radical behaviorism and behavior analysis
• place radical behaviorism and behavior analysis in the relevant historical context
• describe the scope and ambition of the research field of behavior analysis, and point to practical applications
• describe and discuss the essential concepts and research methods in radical behaviorism and behavior analysis (Essential concepts include basic and higher order principles of behavior, the operant, motivating operations, verbal governance and selection by consequences; this list can be extended. Methods include induction, general knowledge of experiments, and single case studies, including advanced experimental designs.)

Radical behaviorism as a philosophical system - ontology and epistemology 

The course consists of 1 introductory meeting, and 6 - 12 seminars of 4 x 45 minutes, and time for discussion and a final seminar (4 x 45 minutes). The introductory meeting takes place 2 weeks ahead of the main part of the course. At this meeting, the structure, content and purpose of the course are presented. The students are asked to give short presentations of their Ph.D. projects, and describe how the course is relevant to it. The main purpose of this early session is to help the students to start systematic work with the course readings.

The seminars target central themes from the course readings for discussion and reflection. A high level of student participation is expected. During this time, students will produce several reaction papers (3 - 4 pages double spaced), and a final presentation of one central theme from the course. Themes are assigned by the lecturers.

The final seminar consists of a discussion of the presentations, which are distributed in advance as papers not to exceed 10 pages double spaced, and introduced by each candidate in a short (3 minute) session. Course teachers mediate the discussions.

• All papers approved,
• attendance in at least 80 % of the seminars, and
• approved paper presentation in final seminar.

Portfolio.

Portfolio requirements: 4 reaction papers

All

Pass / Fail

Internal