About the Book
Written by leading experts in language and cognition, this groundbreaking behaviour analysis textbook brings the study of verbal behaviour into the 21st century with cutting-edge research. Students and clinicians in the burgeoning field of applied behaviour analysis will find the theoretical foundation they need to effectively help the increasingly diverse clients seeking their services. The origins of behaviour analysis can be traced to the pioneering work of B.F. Skinner. Skinner's fundamental insights into how human behaviour is shaped, maintained and can be changed were powerful and far-reaching. Some of Skinner's most innovative contributions were in the study of language. Behaviour analytic work in the area of language and cognition did not stop with Skinner, however. Indeed, Skinner's work in this area has inspired considerable expansion, particularly with an eye toward more sophisticated verbal and cognitive repertoires.
This important volume provides an overview of the concepts and core behavioural processes involved in language and
cognition. You'll find a deeper exploration of complex linguistic and cognitive skills, including generative responding,
learning by observation, and perspective taking. Also included are clinically supported interventions based in mindfulness, psychological flexibility, and emotion regulation to help clients improve complex language, social, and academic skills. The future of behaviour analysis is here. With its focus on the importance of language and cognition, this textbook is a must-read for anyone studying or practising in the science of behaviour.
About the Author :
Ruth Anne Rehfeldt, PhD, is professor of behaviour analysis and therapy at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
She holds doctoral and master's degrees in psychology from the University of Nevada and a bachelor's degree in
psychology from the University of Puget Sound. She is also a board-certified behaviour analyst.
Jonathan Tarbox, PhD, is program director of the Master of Science in Applied Behaviour Analysis program at the
University of Southern California, as well as director of research at FirstSteps for Kids. Tarbox is the incoming editor of
the journal Behaviour Analysis in Practice and serves on the editorial boards of five major scientific journals related to
autism and behaviour analysis. He has published four books on autism treatment and well over 70 peer-reviewed journal
articles and chapters in scientific texts. His research focuses on behavioural interventions for teaching complex skills to
individuals with autism, treatment of feeding disorders and technology in autism treatment. He is a frequent presenter at
autism and ABA conferences worldwide and a regular guest on television and radio.
Mitch Fryling, PhD, is associate professor in the applied behaviour analysis programs at California State University, Los
Angeles. He has authored and coauthored several scholarly publications, primarily in the area of behavioural theory and
philosophy, especially as it pertains to complex human behaviour and system development in behaviour analysis. Fryling has also served as a reviewer, editorial board member and associate editor for various behavioural journals and is the
incoming editor of The Psychological Record.
Linda J. Hayes, PhD, is Distinguished International Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. There she co-founded the behaviour analysis program in the department of psychology and served as its director for more than a decade. She founded and directs the department's Satellite Programs in Behaviour Analysis. Hayes is a fellow of the Association for Behaviour Analysis International and has served two terms as its president. She is best known for her work in behaviour theory and philosophy.
Review :
"A truly remarkably and needed book that provides a comprehensive analysis of fundamental behavioral processes and contemporary theory, research, and practice published in the areas of language and cognition. It synthesizes Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior with contemporary relational frame theory (RFT), and progressively introduces important core concepts such as stimulus equivalence classes, response generalization, referencing, perspective taking, problem-solving, and rule-governed behavior. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is presented as a contemporary behavior analytic therapy that addresses the implications of the science of language and cognition for practice and instruction of applied behavior analysis. This book should be required reading in every graduate program in psychology and behavior analysis."
--Martha Pelaez, PhD, professor in the department of educational psychology at Florida International University--Martha Pelaez, PhD
"I highly recommend this book to academicians, researchers, and scientific practitioners who are interested in the advancement and application of behavior science. Central threads in behavioral accounts of sociocultural phenomena highlight communication, and ways language plays a fundamental role in human behavior. The selection of chapters coedited by Fryling, Rehfeldt, Tarbox, and Hayes illustrate the power of behavior science and collective abilities of our scientific group to respond to the emerging opportunities for scientific impact. In that regard, the authors lay substantial groundwork for the advanced analyses of language and cognition with workable implications for development and dissemination of associated technologies."
--Ramona A. Houmanfar, PhD, professor in the department of psychology, and director of the behavior analysis program at the University of Nevada, Reno--Ramona A. Houmanfar, PhD
"This is an outstanding volume with a star-studded lineup of editors and authors, with strong credibility in behavioral science and its progression. The editors mount a compelling case for the merits of behavioral science as an academic and applied field, and one in which these integrate coherently. For authors or students wishing to update on what behavior analysis has done since Skinner, this volume is a must. While it is dense and accurate, it is readable and digestible. An excellent addition to a complex area of psychology, but one which the editors and authors convince us is worth grappling with."
--Yvonne Barnes-Holmes, PhD, associate professor in behavior analysis, and senior research fellow at Ghent University--Yvonne Barnes-Holmes, PhD
