WHY I AM A RADICAL BEHAVIORIST: page 1

Introduction (1)
The special 1984 Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior ‎was my professional eye-opener. In an editorial Present Trends and Directions for the Future Lattal & Harzem wrote:
‘the science of behavior is important not only for its own sake, but for the sake of its implications for social survival’ – today, a timely reminder.

Then - 26 years ago - scientists were discussing problems in animal laboratories that were quite new to me and in particular, Philip Hineline’s question:
AVERSIVE CONTROL: A SEPARATE DOMAIN? ‎

Surprised and intrigued, I envisioned a rat retreat from a lever if shocked, charted a series of hypothetical cumulative curves for the animal ... and was afforded a view of biological ‘taxis’,
a whole organism in motion. As a result, I saw novel effects of aversive and reinforcing stimuli: even from a distance, the former repel and the latter attract. Ever since then, I see direction of movement as a basic distinction between evasion/avoidance versus approach.

What those records reflect was so extraordinary, I feel obliged to try and convince operant conditioners that studying mobilization will provide a breakthrough in biology, psychology and - primarily - behavior analysis. Global attention to “What moves people? ” should ensue.
An advantage would be normalization in the laboratory and evaluation of similar conditions elsewhere.
I think ecological conservationists will wish to collaborate with behaviorists in a search for the consequences and discriminative stimuli which keep all the experimental subjects fit and intact, do not harm or confuse, and guide them onto paths with a workable chance for survival.

Though this paper relates to my story, I believe all persons who dream of a more humane world will resonate to its message. I cite eminent scientists who gave me hope and enlightenment. Their words may impress readers and motivate operant conditioners to revive cumulative recording with able-bodied animals, in enlarged settings. I submit, expanded research will help to resolve questions concerning Man’s place in nature.

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(1)I resume my train of thoughts on:/mobility/,/standstill/,/normalisation/,/animal research/, /the whole organism/, audio-visual stimuli/, /environmntal control /In my view, these are currently the themes of major importance for further developments in behavior analysis, basic as much as applied.