A science of meaning. Can behaviorism bring meaning to psychological science?
An argument is presented for making meaning a central dependent variable in psychological science. Principles of operant psychology are then interpreted as providing a basic foundation for a science of meaning. The emphasis here is on the generality of basic operant concepts, where learning is a process of meaning making that is governed largely by natural contingencies; reinforcement is an organic process in which environment-behavior relations are selected, defined here as a dialectical process of meaning making; and reinforcers are experiential consequences with acquired, ecologically derived meanings. The author concludes with a call for a more interdisciplinary science of psychology, focusing on the individual in society.
DeGrandpre
R J
RJ
rdegrandpre@hotmail.com
D001527:Behaviorism; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D006801:Humans; D011584:Psychology; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012586:Science; D012931:Social Environment