Abstract
Ben Franklin developed an elaborate program to modify his own behavior which is of interest not only because it was implemented in 1728, but because he clearly demonstrated sophistication in several aspects of behavior analysis. An attempt is made to place Franklin in historical perspective by identifying persons and published works which influenced him. Then excerpts from his autobiography that describe the program are analyzed in terms of the behavioral principles and procedures he employed. It is proposed that many of Franklin’s accomplishments were a function of his self-management system and his behavioral expertise.
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Mountjoy, P.T., Sundberg, M.L. Ben Franklin the Protobehaviorist I: Self-Management of Behavior. Psychol Rec 31, 13–24 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394715
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394715