Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Neither a mentalist nor a reductionist be!

  • Published:
Biofeedback and Self-regulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There is basis for concern that applied psychophysiology, if not the field of biofeedback, is being coopted by, and merged into, a reborn “inner” model, with the return of “cognition” to preeminence in the “psych” and “neuro” disciplines. Despite currently fashionable views that such mentalistic inventions and neuro/psychological developments somehow illuminate behavior or offer simpler accounts of behavioral facts, there is little or no evidence that any such construction has ever told us anything new about behavior.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Blanchard, E., & Cook, M. R. (Eds.). (1987–1988).Biofeedback and Self-Regulation (Vols. 12–13). New York: Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brady, J. V. (1988). Psychiatry and its poor relations.Journal of Nervous Mental Disorders, 176 581–584.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broadbent, D. E. (1965). Perceptual defense and the engineering psychologist.Bulletin of the British Psychological Society, 18(1).

  • Estes, N. K. (1983). Report of a research briefing on cognitive science and artificial intelligence. InResearch briefings 1983. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krasner, L. (1988). Paradigm lost: On a historical/sociological/economic perspective. In D. B. Fishman, F. Rotgers, & C. M. Franks (Eds.),Paradigms in behavior therapy: Present and promise. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mach, E. (1914).The analysis of sanctions. Chicago: Open Court Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, D. (1987–1988).Psychophysiology (Vols. 24–25). Champaign, IL: Society for Psychophysiological Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, H. (1980). The behavioral and social sciences.Science, 209 72–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F. (1938).The behavior of organisms. New York: Appleton-Century.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, 21205, Baltimore, Maryland

    Joseph V. Brady

Authors
  1. Joseph V. Brady
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Preparation of this article was supported in part by the following PHHS Grants: NHLBI HL 34034, NIDA DA 03476, NIDA DA 04130, NIDA DA 02490, NIDA DA 04133, NIDA DA 01147, NIDA DA 04731, and NIDA contract 271-86-8113.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brady, J.V. Neither a mentalist nor a reductionist be!. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation 14, 185–193 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01000092

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01000092

Descriptor Key Words

Search

Navigation