Publication
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 115(1), 21–30
Related Domains
Pivotal Skills
Complex Verbal Behavior
In this article, Murray Sidman is presented as one of the most influential figures in modern behavior analysis, not only because of his empirical findings, but because of the philosophical and methodological choices that shaped his scientific career.
The paper reviews Sidman’s contributions across areas such as avoidance learning, stimulus control, equivalence relations, and research methodology. The authors argue that his work consistently emphasized functional analysis, experimental rigor, and conceptual clarity.
Particular attention is given to Sidman’s role in the development of stimulus equivalence research, which helped open the door for contemporary analyses of symbolic and relational behavior. The authors describe how Sidman’s willingness to pursue difficult and sometimes controversial questions — especially regarding emergent relations and language-like behavior — created important pathways for later developments such as Relational Frame Theory and contextual behavioral science.
Citation
Law, S., & Hayes, S. C. (2021). Murray Sidman: Fostering progress through foundational choices. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 115(1), 21–30.