private events

Private EventsJustin Daigle, MA, BCBA, LBA

Program Director

Private EventsCovert (not seen) events that occur

within humans that may or may not affect behaviors.- Thoughts- Feelings- Emotions

3 Questions1. Do private events have a place in

ABA?2. Do private events affect our overt

(observable) behaviors?3. Should we attempt to modify private

events?

Psychology?The study of behavior?The study of the mind?The study of the self?The study of consciousness?Everyone is taught differently.

Modern MovementPsychology as a field is moving

towards a behaviorist approach - or -

Psychology is splitting into traditional and behavioral

Clarifications1. Behaviorism – The school of thought that

research and practice should focus on behaviors.

2. Radical Behaviorism – Skinnerian view is that behaviors could be within the skin. (Coined the term “Private Events”)

Behavior?1. Watson 1924 (Behaviorism) – Behavior is

defined by it’s form – muscle movements and glandular secretions.

2. Skinner 1945 (Radical Behaviorism) – Behavior is anything that operates on the environment.

The Great DebatePsychology has Nature vs Nurture.People argued both sides.Most now fall in the middle and think

the debate is not needed.

The Great DebateIn Philosophy the debate is monist vs

dualist. Monist believe there is one plain of

existence (or conscience).Dualist believe there are two plains of

existence (or conscience).

MonistWas, and is, not a popular view.The ancient Greeks were opposed to it.John Locke’s “An Essay Concerning Human

Understanding” (1689).Locke (Empiricist) believed in a “blank slate”

(Tabula Rasa). Favored Nurture over Nature.

MonistLocke never denied the existence of a second

existence (or conscience).

Was more concerned with what he could physically “feel”. Everything else didn’t matter. “You are a product of your environment.”

MonistLocke’s most popular phrase in America:

“Man... hath by nature a power.... to preserve his property - that is, his life, liberty, and estate - against the injuries and attempts of other men.”

MonistHe would be furious if he ever saw the

American translation:“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that

all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”

MonistLocke’s thoughts?:

“What is happiness?”“How does one (physically) ‘feel’

happiness?”

DualistThe most popular of the two options.Greeks said “Body and Soul”, but were not

“dualist” per se.Renè Descartes (1641) “Mediations of First

Philosophy” was the first to identify the monist vs dualist debate. He was a complete dualist.

DualistDescartes believed what Locke did (you need

to feel to prove), but only for one plain of existence (which he called matter).

Descartes believed that additional proof was needed for the second plain of existence (which he called mind).

DualistDescartes famously found proof of the

second existence:

“Cogito ergo sum”

DualistDescartes famously found proof of the

second existence:

“Cogito ergo sum”“Think there am”

DualistDescartes famously found proof of the

second existence:

“Cogito ergo sum”“Think therefore am”

“I think, therefore I am”

DualistThinking became Descarte’s “feeling”

within the second plain of existance.

Remains mostly undisputed until the 1920’s when Pavlov decided to study spit.

Monist vs DualistNow the question exist and behaviorism in

the only person standing on the other side.

There reasoning:Occam’s Razor (or the Law of Parsomony)

Philosophy1. Watson (Behaviorism) was a Dualist.

Believed the mind should be separate from everything else

2. Skinner (Radical Behaviorism) was a Monist. Believed the mind followed the same principles as everything else (can be reinforced, etc).

Mind ReinforcementStudies have been done where neurons

have been reinforced for ‘firing’. They were reinforced with serotonin.

Theoretically you can re-map a neuron path using reinforcement.

So we lean towards Skinner’s monism.

What type of behaviorist

are you?

Methodological• Watson• Behaviorism• Dualist• Strong view, but has flaws

Cognitive • Ex Hayes• Cognitive Behavioral• Monist/Dualist?• Emerging fields of studies

Radical• Skinner• Radical Behaviorism• Monist (no skin barrier)• Strong and growing evidence

3 Questions1. Do private events have a place in

ABA?2. Do private events affect our overt

(observable) behaviors?3. Should we attempt to modify private

events?

Answer• 2/3 Forms of Behaviorism says “yes”• Methodological says “no”

• Studies have been conducted that show that despite what you “feel”, private events is an area of growing concern and importance.

Role of Private Events• So now that we resolved that private

events should have a place, let’s attempt question 2:

• Do private event affect our overt behaviors?

Schools of Thought• Methodological (doesn’t matter)• Cognitive (absolutely, yes)• Radical (Maybe, but there is currently

no research methodology to support such claims. It should be considered.)

Radical Research?• Because of these complications, many

radical behaviorist have not made an attempt to study private events.

• Some studies that have focused on overt behaviors have reportedly helped with private events such as “fear”, “anxiety”, and “depression”

Interesting• Most radical behaviorist will readily

consider a private event (such as an emotional state) as a “setting event”.

Cognitive Research?• Cognitive Behaviorist have attempted

to study private events but have yet to secure proper research methodology that is universally accepted. This limits the acceptance of their studies.

Assumptions• Cognitive Behaviorist have to make the

following assumptions:• Private Events operate the same as overt behaviors

(monist)• Private Events (consistently) influence behavior • Private Events can be measured through self-report or

overt behaviors• Individuals comply with instructions for private events

3 Questions1. Do private events have a place in

ABA?2. Do private events affect our overt

(observable) behaviors?3. Should we attempt to modify private

events?

Answer• Assumed: “Yes”• No proof• Currently, no way of gaining proof• We don’t know how it does.

Applying Science• Can we• Should we• Attempt to change a person’s private

events?

Hayes of ACT Fame• Hayes is often one of the

professionals that is mentioned as studying private events.

• Focuses on HOW private events might influence overt behaviors.

Are they needed?• Are private events needs to change

behavior?

Baseball• Coach yells “Visualize yourself hitting

the ball.”• Studies have shown that this will

increase the likelihood of batter connecting with the ball.

3-Term Contingency• Cognitive Behaviorist:• Antecedent : Visualization (private event)• Behavior: Hitting Ball

• Radical Behaviorist:• Antecedent : Verbal SD (overt behavior)• Behavior: Hitting Ball

Limitations• Can we prove that the batter actually

visualized hitting the ball?• How did the batter visualize hitting the

ball and how did it differ from other participants?

• Is it important to know?• To Hayes, it is VERY important

Conclusion• There large amounts of speculation about

private events.• Research is lacking, because there is no

way to study it.• I won’t tell you what to believe, but it’s

important to know the information.

Further Readings• “Behaviorism and Private Events” by

Steven Hayes (8/14/05) – ACBS website• “Private Events: Do they belong in a

science of human behavior” by Anderson et al. (2000). Behavior Analyst.

Further Readings• “About Behaviorism” by B.F. Skinner

• Quiz on-line