Relational Frame Theory Flashcards
Relational Frame Theory
RFT is a modern behaviour analytic account of human cognition and language
Describe the development of behaviourism
Pavlov and Watson’s classical conditioning/ Skinner’s operant conditioning/ and the application of behaviourism in therapies and analysis.
Define Relational Frame Theory (RT)
Relational Frame Theory is described as a modern behavior analytic account of human cognition and language, often misunderstood due to its technical language and non-traditional approach.
How does Relational Frame Theory differ from traditional views on behaviorism and cognition?
Relational Frame Theory challenges the assumption that behaviorism has little to offer in understanding human language and cognition, evolving based on empirical, applied, and clinical research.
Describe the concept of private events’ in relation to thoughts and language.
Private events are thoughts and experiences accessible only to the individual thinker, influencing language development and evolving based on social reinforcement.
What is the significance of the ‘Cognitive revolution’?
The ‘Cognitive revolution’ marked a shift in psychology towards cognitive processes, challenging the dominance of behaviorism and leading to the development of cognitive theories and therapies
What did Skinner propose about language in behavioral terms according to the content?
Skinner proposed that language is learned behavior, acquired, extended, and maintained through similar principles that control non-language behavior, reinforced through the mediation of others’ behavior.
Describe Skinner’s Verbal Operants: Mands, Tacts, Echoics, Intraverbals, Autoclitics
Mands involve making requests, Tacts are verbal responses to nonverbal stimuli, Echoics involve repeating another speaker’s words, Intraverbals occur after other verbal behavior, Autoclitics alter the effect of other verbal responses.
Define Tacting in relation to private events.
Tacting involves learning to talk about private events by observing physical changes and inferring the private event being experienced.
How are verbal behaviors (operants) established according to
Skinner’s Verbal Behavior?
Verbal behaviors are established through reinforcement, although criticisms suggest that the environment may not provide enough reinforcement for rapid language development.
Explain the concept of stimulus equivalence in FT Basics.
Stimulus equivalence refers to the idea that humans can respond in ways that cannot be explained by direct contingencies, where written words, spoken words, and pictures become interchangeable or equivalent.
What are some criticisms of Skinner’s Verbal Behavior regarding language development and reinforcement?
Critics argue that there may not be enough reinforcement in the environment to explain rapid language development, but potential rebuttals include schedules of reinforcement, generalization, and response classes.
How does Skinner’s Verbal Behavior address situations where individuals lack experience with specific contingencies?
Skinner suggested that a long history of verbal conditioning plays a role in how individuals respond in novel situations, even without direct experience with specific contingencies.
Describe stimulus equivalence in behavioral terms.
Stimulus equivalence is a type of behavior where individuals respond to stimuli and events as if they are related, even in the absence of direct reinforcement or instruction.
Define Relational Frame Theory (RT)
RT suggests that humans learn to derive relationships that are not explicitly taught, and apply these derived relationships systematically to verbal behavior.