Mentalism And Radical Behaviorism 2
August 21st, 2022
Table of Contents
Mentalism and Radical Behaviorism
As a future ABA professional, understanding how the field of behavior analysis differs from other psychology fields is important. Behavior analysts use objective and behavioristic statements to describe phenomena they observe. At this point in your studies, it is important to start eliminating mentalistic statements from your vocabulary to help you to begin thinking like a behavior analyst.
Use the Mentalism and Radical Behaviorism Template provided in the Resources area of this assignment to complete the following:
- For the 10 phrases or sentences provided in the template, identify whether the statement provides a mentalistic or a behavioristic explanation for a behavior.
- Write a summary, explaining the reasoning behind your choices. You are not required to provide an individual explanation for each statement.
- For each of the mentalistic explanations you identify, provide a behavioristic explanation as an alternative.
- Analyze how the behavioristic approach is different from most other psychology fields.
- How would a mentalistic approach inform one’s practice?
- How would a behavior analytic approach inform one’s practice?
Assignment Requirements
- Written communication: Should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
- APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to current APA style guidelines.
- Resources: Minimum of 1–2 scholarly or professional resources.
- Length: 2–4 double-spaced pages, in addition to the title page and reference page.
- Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
Mentalism and Radical Behaviorism
| Phrases | Mentalistic or behavioristic | Explanation | If mentalisitic, provide an alternative |
| Bobby dropped his pencil and got out of his seat to retrieve it each time the teacher asked him to write his name. | |||
| Ava was very happy at school today. Her teacher stated that she loved playing with other children at school. | |||
| Stacy calls to make an appointment at her doctor’s office, because she knows she has the flu. | |||
| Dana ate cake after having a long day to uplift her emotions. | |||
| Every time the instructor asks Johnny to wash his hands, he walks to the sink, turns the water on, and washes his hands. | |||
| Elizabeth follows her mother’s directions, because she knows she will be rewarded for appropriate behavior when she does. | |||
| Kevin broke his pencil, because he was frustrated with the questions on his math test. | |||
| Each time the buzzer sounds, the rat approaches the lever and presses it. When this occurs, a food pellet is produced. | |||
| It is observed that each time the light is on, the rat presses the lever and a food pellet is delivered. | |||
| Alicia got a 100% on her exam, because she is smart. |
Analyze how the behavioristic approach is different from most other psychology fields:
(be sure to include references.)
