March 11, 2016

March 11, 2016

Written by Maximus Peperkamp, M.S. Verbal Engineer

Dear Reader,

The paper “Humble Behaviorism” (1991) by A. Neuringer signifies the failure of our spoken communication. When our conversation doesn’t work we resort to writing. Moreover, we get so carried away by our written words that we completely forget about the importance of the spoken word. Although the author only superficially goes into this, the title reminds the behaviorists that when they talk about their science, they are not overly concerned with the “tentativeness” of their “theoretical and methodological positions.” I call the spoken communication that works Sound Verbal Behavior (SVB) and the spoken communication which doesn’t work Noxious Verbal Behavior (NVB). Besides being unscientific, arrogant behaviorism also sounds terrible. Humble behaviorism, by contrast, sounds good as it is based on SVB. I agree with “The scientific stance that all knowledge is provisional and that one’s most deeply held positions must continually be reconsidered”, but to do so only in writing and not while speaking is in my opinion an act of cowardice. In many Western countries behaviorists are rejected by mainstream academia and media. I claim that behaviorists have failed to communicate their science properly as they have avoided to address mankind’s most important problem behavior: our way of talking. If behaviorists would learn about SVB, they would have to acknowledge that their own NVB has gravely hindered the progress of behavioral science.