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A FEW MINOR SUGGESTIONS
Author(s) -
Michael Jack,
Clark John W.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of the experimental analysis of behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1938-3711
pISSN - 0022-5002
DOI - 10.1901/jeab.2001.75-354
Subject(s) - reinforcement , psychology , evocation , interpretation (philosophy) , cognitive psychology , lever , presentation (obstetrics) , social psychology , computer science , medicine , physics , quantum mechanics , sociology , anthropology , radiology , programming language
We agree with almost all of the analysis in this excellent presentation of the molecular view of avoidance behavior. A few suggestions are made as follows: Referring to response‐generated stimuli as “readily observable” seems not quite right for the kinesthetic components of such stimuli, although their scientific legitimacy is not questioned. Interpreting response‐generated stimuli as a form of positive reinforcement is contested, and an alternative interpretation is offered. A possibly simpler interpretation of the Sidman (1962) two‐lever experiment is suggested. We question Dinsmoor's (2001) explanation for warning stimuli not being avoided, except for the reference to the weakness of third‐order conditioning effects. A final question is raised regarding the nature of the variables that are responsible for the momentary evocation of the avoidance response.