Abstract
The phenomena to be explained in terms of scientific principles may be termed the “content” of a science. Behavioral content is organized at the level of individual organisms. Human behavioral repertoires are unique and complex organizations of activity/environment relations. The content of human behavior is accounted for in terms of evolutionary processes occurring at the behavioral level of analysis, during the lifetime of individual organisms. Cultural content originates when behavioral repertoires of two or more individuals form an enduring unit that has the possibility of lasting beyond the lifetime of those individuals. Evolutionary processes occurring at the cultural level of analysis account for cultural practices that extend across generations. The units that come into existence as a result of behavioral and cultural evolutionary processes are the content of behavioral and cultural sciences. Science-based solutions to human problems involve making use of knowledge of behavioral and cultural processes to bring about change in behavioral and cultural content.
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This paper originated while the first author was on developmental leave at the Universicy of Florida. Both of us wish to thank the University of North Texas and the University of Florida for the opportunity for us to work together in this area of common interest. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Association for Behavior Analysis 1991 meeting in Atlanta, May 23–27, We are grateful to Janet Ellis and Marvin Harris for comments on earlier drafts of the paper.
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Glenn, S.S., Malagodi, E.F. Process and Content in Behavioral and Cultural Phenomena. Behav. Soc. Iss. 1, 1–14 (1991). https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v1i2.163
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v1i2.163