| Abstract: As time goes by fewer and fewer members of ABAI remember the rich and varied history that put behavior analysis on the path to what it is today. The purpose of this talk is to provide a brief overview of that history, so that more ABAI members are aware of where our approach came from and the commonalities that bind us. The talk begins with John B. Watson and the behavioral revolution that launched the field that become behavior analysis. Then, we look back through history from Descartes to the events leading up to the behavioral revolution. Following the exit from the field by Watson, the rise of other early behaviorists is examined. Skinner's discoveries and those of his students and followers are then traced. Highlighted is the advancement of behavioral progress through the study of contingencies of reinforcement to the ongoing applications of behavior analysis to areas such as developmental disabilities, autism, psychiatric patients, addictions, and education, and the founding and importance of organizations such as ABAI and the BACB. |