title: The behavior analytic perspective: its nature, prospects, and limitations for behavior therapy.
abstract: Behavior analysis is defined as a natural science approach to behavior--with both basic and applied branches--and contrasted with cognitive psychology. Behavior analysis is described as an integrated science that views a person's interactions with the environment as selecting certain behaviors--or rather, environment-behavior relations--making them more probable, given certain subsequent stimulus situations. It seeks an understanding that promotes effective action, which fits the clinical interests of behavior therapy. It promotes persistent searching for environmental causes, which has resulted in a remarkable range of successes, clinical and other. We explore the reasons that all behavior therapists are not behavior analysts and suggest needed future developments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown 26506-6040, USA.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Forsyth
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001525:Behavioral Sciences / Q000379:methods*; D001527:Behaviorism; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D011582:Psychological Theory