Variability as a subject matter in a science of behavior: reply to commentaries (original) (raw)

2012, The Behavior analyst / MABA

Abstract

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This article responds to commentaries on the author's claim that studies using lag n or threshold procedures in operant variability fail to provide direct evidence of variability as an operant dimension. By engaging with concepts by Catania and Neuringer, the author clarifies the conditions necessary to validate operant relations and the proper interpretation of feedback effects in experiments. The discussion addresses fundamental questions around behavioral variability and reinforces the need for a coherent definition of response properties when assessing operant behavior.

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