Re:Behaviors

By definition everything we do is behavior. In behavior analysis, there as thing called the Dead Man's Test. If a dead man can do it, it's not behavior. If he can't, it probably is. The problem here is that behavior tends to not be discrete. You have to decide what counts as behavior before you can count it. What is your unit of analysis. In other words, where does the behavior start and end? For some behaviors, we can do this easily, for others we cannot. For example, it's easy to say that snapping your fingers is a behavior and we could easily identify an instance of that behavior. But, what about driving to work? Obviously, there are multiple behaviors all linked together in a chain that result in the final product (arriving at work). But isn't that the same with snapping fingers (raising your hand, putting your thumb and index finger together, etc.). Skinner said we should divide behavior along its "natural lines of fracture" and that should be our unit of analysis. In other words, let the behavior itself dictate where it starts and stops. Unfortunately, this is still an arbitrary dividion, is dependent upon which dimension of the behavior you are interested inl, and will vary from behavior to behavior and person to person. Thus, I don't think your question can be answered. It's best just to say that we behave all the time. If we didn't, we would be dead.

Replies:

Re:Behaviors, by Ischua, 07/02/01

| Behavior OnLine Home Page | Disclaimer |

Copyright © 1996-2004 Behavior OnLine, Inc. All rights reserved.