#42 - The Status of Radical Behaviorism w/ Dr. Bill Ahearn

Show Notes

• About the episode

  In this episode, Zach and Caleb discuss a recent publication on the status of radical behaviorism with Dr. Bill Ahearn.
  
  Learning Objectives

  • Identify and describe the three levels of selection including evolution (phylogeny), individual experience (ontogeny), and culture (sociocultural circumstances) that radical behaviorists use to explain why people act the way they do.
  • Explain the difference between using feelings like "frustration" as a direct cause for behavior versus seeing those feelings as behaviors themselves that have been shaped by the environment.
  • Discuss why radical behaviorism often conflicts with popular societal ideas regarding personal freedom and individual control over one’s own actions.

  
  

• Things to check out from the episode:
  
  

  References:
  Johnston, J. M., & Ahearn, W. H. (2026). The status of radical behaviorism. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 1-16. 
  Skinner, B. F. (1984). Selection by consequences. Behavioral and brain sciences, 7(4), 477-481.