Behavior analysis and the social construction of knowledge

Abstract

A phenomenon of contemporary interest in social psychology is the social construction of knowledge – knowledge arising out of the interactions of people in communities rather than from interaction with nonsocial environment. A behavior analysis of such social constructed knowledge is presented, based on Skinner’s (1957) functional types of verbal behavior and the social contingencies that maintain them. Socially constructed knowledge occurs as intraverbals, as tacts with loose discrimination, and when there are powerful social controls determining the verbal behavior in a group. The distinction between rule-governed and contingency-governed behavior shows the limits of socially constructed knowledge, whereas the social contingencies involved in minority influence and innovation show how changes can occur in community representations.Keywords: social representations, behavior analysis, social psychology, verbal behavior.