Abstract
Chomsky’s (1959) review of Skinner’s (1957) Verbal Behavior has been influential and attributed with a role in the cognitive revolution. However, while counter reviews from within behavior analysis have noted that Chomsky misunderstood the subject matter, certain aspects of his scholarship have been underdiscussed. This includes several instances where Chomsky misquotes Skinner or takes his quotes out of context. Similar to the findings of Sokal (1996a, 1996b), it is speculated that the problems with Chomsky were overlooked by cognitive psychologists because his general outlook was accepted. Implications for the editorial review process are discussed.
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This work was supported in part by a grant from the Aaron Solomon Foundation. The author would like to thank Wayne Sager for making a casual remark that ultimately resulted in the writing of this paper; John Michael, Cynthia Pietras, and Alan Poling for their consultation on the various versions of this paper; and Nancy Ann Adelman, Elizabeth Ann Whitlock, and Nicholas Alexander Whitlock for their patience and support.
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Adelman, B.E. An Underdiscussed Aspect of Chomsky (1959). Analysis Verbal Behav 23, 29–34 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393044
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393044