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Applied Behavior Analysis: Definitional Difficulties

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Abstract

A new science should provide an intensional definition of itself to delineate the necessary and sufficient conditions for an activity to qualify as an instance of said science (Baronett, 2013, pp. 46–48). However, current definitions of applied behavior analysis offered in leading ABA textbooks are descriptive instead of intensional. Therefore, an intensional definition of ABA is offered.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, McNeese State University, MSU Box 92335, Lake Charles, Louisiana, 70609, USA

    Todd M. Furman

  2. Department of Psychology, McNeese State University, MSU Box 91895, Lake Charles, Louisiana, 70609, USA

    Tracy L. Lepper

Authors
  1. Todd M. Furman
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  2. Tracy L. Lepper
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Correspondence to Todd M. Furman.

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This submission complies with all of the ethical rules of the journal The Psychological Record. As this manuscript is conceptual in nature, human and non-human animals were not involved in this project.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Furman, T.M., Lepper, T.L. Applied Behavior Analysis: Definitional Difficulties. Psychol Rec 68, 103–105 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-018-0282-3

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