Abstract
Fifteen introductory psychology textbooks are examined to determine the accuracy and completeness of their treatment of B. F. Skinner’s approach to human activities commonly referred to as cognitive processes. Six of the textbooks ignore Skinner’s contribution to the study of cognitive variables altogether, four deny that Skinner had anything to say about such processes and five textbooks acknowledge elements of Skinner’s viewpoint, though the acknowledgments are incomplete and suffer from inaccuracies. Discussion encourages textbook writers and publishers to present a more accurate and complete picture of the discipline of psychology for the introductory student.
His work spawned a division of the APA (Division 25, Experimental Analysis of Behavior); an independent professional organization (the Association for Behavior Analysis) with more than 2,200 members; two private foundations dedicated to the advancement of behavioral psychology; and a host of journals—at least 23 by one count … Among the personal accolades bestowed … that reflect the impact of his work are 30-odd honorary degrees from colleges and universities around the world, consistent ranking by psychologists as among the most important thinkers in both contemporary psychology and in the history of psychology. (Lattal, 1992, p. 1269)
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Jensen, R., Burgess, H. Mythmaking: How introductory psychology texts present B. F. Skinner’s analysis of cognition. Psychol Rec 47, 221–232 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395221
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395221