The Key to Making Resolutions Stick Is Strength in Numbers

Ah, the New Year has arrived—our chance to hit the reset button.  This year is sure to be better…we resolve to get fit, be a better parent, heck, even be a better boss.  For many managers a…

Holiday Thoughts from Mr. Sam Walton

The following is a copy of an actual letter sent by Sam Walton of Wal-Mart to his managers. It was sent to me by an impassioned client who wanted to thank us for bringing the science of behavior into…

Behavioral Hiccups and Other Manifestations of Change

Behavior analysis seems to me uniquely positioned for studying change. Indeed, our most basic research method is all about change. We first establish a baseline in which the behavior under study is…

Behavior, Automatic Reinforcement, and Rudolph’s Red Nose

The legend of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was revealed in 1939 by Robert L. May. It went truly viral when cowboy/singer Gene Autrey first recorded that song we all know, in 1949. Never answered,…

Guest Commentary: Why Thoughts Aren't Causes

The Aubrey Daniels Institute is pleased to share the following commentary by Dr. Lee Hulbert Williams, Deputy Head of Department and Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of…

Targeting the Behavioral Stream

A while ago, I found myself in a lovely restaurant in a small town in Belgium with a close colleague and his wife. We had enjoyed cocktails, a delightful dinner, a bottle of wine, and lots of bottled…

A Review of "Out of Our Heads: Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness" by Alva Noe

Philosopher Alva Noë tackles the age-old question of "what is consciousness?" in this book. Many astute observers of the psychological scene from William James to B. F. Skinner have weighed in on the…

Turkey in the Oven or in the Skinner Box?

Think about it. You can put a turkey in the oven only once. The pleasure for the turkey is over immediately (well, realistically some days before), and for you not long after the Thanksgiving feast.…

By the People—Not By the Numbers

While banking is a numbers-driven profession, watching the numbers like a hawk and pouncing when employees fall short is not the best way to boost financial results. Instead of merely tracking…

Mistakes Companies Make when End-of-Year Approaches

About this time of year, leaders and managers begin the ritual, asking themselves, “Have I met my goals for the year? Have I used up my budget? Am I prepared to declare my needs and wants for…

The Status of Behaviorism in Turkey

Note from the Institute: Although behavior analysis started in the United States, it has long been an international enterprise. To give readers an idea of the breadth of our discipline and its impact…

Gull-ture

We are pleased to have as a Behavior Watch guest commentator Jim Cook, a doctoral candidate in behavior analysis at West Virginia University. He takes us to the beach for some observations of unusual…

13 Things that Scare the Devil Out of Me, Revisited

A few years ago I created my own bewitching list of things that scared me.  I have dusted off that list and provided an updated view of my top thirteen frightening things.  I’m afraid to…

Don’t Ask for a Raise, Part 2: Reality Check

I’m glad to see this topic and the ideas I have shared recently have created such a response.  Let me start by saying that I’m not naïve to think that your circumstances will be such that you…

How to Shape a Zombie

  Yes, yes, I know that one is supposed to say “How to shape zombie behavior,” but, hey, it’s Halloween and weird things happening are OK.  And what could be weirder than thinking about…

Are We Superstitious About "Superstitious" Behavior?

In the spirit of the Halloween season, it seems appropriate to comment on superstitious behavior, the subject of one of B. F. Skinner's best-known scientific papers. He delivered brief presentations…

Why Positive Management Training Should be Part of your Company Wellness Program

Most organizations understand the value in promoting employee health and wellness.  Investments are made in wellness centers, gym memberships and weight loss programs.  Turns out there is…

Simple and Complex Behavior

It’s not unusual to hear behavior or the circumstances surrounding it described as either “simple” or “complex.” Used to describe our human interactions, these terms often substitute in various ways…