Skip to main content
Log in

On “Setting Events” and Related Concepts

  • Published:
The Behavior Analyst Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The term “setting event” is examined in light of recent interest in the possible utility of the concept. The term was found to characteristically include properties of environmental variables, functional relations already denned, and other functional relations either unspecified or not identified with any generally-accepted term. “Setting event” as a technical term may be too general and functionally unclear and should thus be viewed with caution. An alternative approach is examined in the recently-proposed term, “establishing operation,” which is viewed as a more limited, functionally specific, and therefore preferable approach to the adoption of new technical terms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bijou, S.W. (1976). Child development III: Basic stage of early childhood. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bijou, S. W., & Baer, D. M. (1961). Child development I: systematic and empirical theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hou, S. W., & Baer, D. M. (1965). Child devel opment II: Universal stage of infancy. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epalcin, R., Lanza, R. P., & Skinner, B. F. (1980). Symbolic communication between two pigeons (Columbia livia domestica). Science, 207, 543–545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldamomd, I. (1983, May). Discussion. In I. Goldamomd, (Chair), The interdependence of formal. basic and applied behavior analysis: Can the bell toll for just one? Symposium conducted at the meeting of the Association for Behavior Analyms, Milwaukee, WI.

  • Hahe, D F., Donaldson, T., & Hyten, C. (1983). Analysis of discriminative control of social behavioral stimuli. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 39, 7–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kantor, J. R. (1959). Interbehavioral psychology. Granville, OH: Principia Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laren, S. E., & Morris, E. K. (1983, May). On the usefulness of the setting event concept in behavior analysis. Paper presented at the meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Milwaukee, WI.

  • Mackintosh, N. J. (1974). The psychology of animal learning. New York, NY: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackintosh, N. J. (1977). Stimulus control: Attentional factors. In W. K. Honig and J. E. R. Staddon (Eds.) Handbook of operant behavior (pp. 481–513). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michael, J. L. (1982). Distinguishing between discriminative and motivational functions of stimuli. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 37, 149–155.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Michael, J. L. (1983). Motivational relations in behavior theory: A suggested terminology. Unpublished manuscript

  • Shimp, C. P. (1983). The local organization of behavior Dissociations between a pigeon’s behavior and self-reports of that behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 39, 61–68.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sidman, M., & Tailby, W. (1982). Conditional discrimination vs. matching to sample: An expansion of the testing paradigm. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 37, 5–22.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. New York, NY: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahler, R. G., & Fox, J. J. (1981). Setting events in applied behavior analysis: Toward a conceptual and methodological expansion. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 14, 327–338.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • White, K. G., & McKenzie, J. (1982). Delayed stimulus control: Recall for single and relational stimuli. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 38, 305–312.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Leigland, S. On “Setting Events” and Related Concepts. BEHAV ANALYST 7, 41–45 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391884

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391884

Navigation