The Interbehaviorist · Vol. 1, No. 2

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INTERBEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGY

NEWSLETTER

Volume 1
Number 2
April 1970

The activity of the sensible object and that of the percipient sense is one and the same activity, and yet the distinction between their being remains. Take as illustration actual sound and actual hearing: a man may have hearing and yet not be hearing, and that which has a sound is not always sounding. But when that which can hear is actively hearing and that which can sound is sounding, then the actual hearing and the actual sound are merged in one (these one might call respectively hearing and sounding). -- Aristotle: De Anima

That the physics of light is so frequently applied to color is indicative only of an inseverable relationship of data and not of their identity. -- J.R. Kantor: "Goethe's Place in Modern Science"

Instead of starting from such popular formulations as "I see a tree", let us attempt an event orientation in which seeing does not arise from the confrontation of an organism and a tree. In fact, organism and tree are only the anchorage points for an occurrence, situation, interaction or transaction that transpires in a larger space-time frame-work than the traditional "inside" and "outside" the organism and within a more comprehensive temporal structure than the instant. -- N.H. Pronko: "Some Reflections on Perception"

THE AGORA

The Newsletter seems to have achieved some modest success in terms of number of subscribers: 74 including 24 students and one to the Archives of American Psychology. We wish to encourage students to make contributions of materials or questions that might provoke some replies. One student has asked for "a concise article presenting some of the basis for interbehavioral psychology, showing its importance, the advantages and disadvantages of such a viewpoint and what it could mean to the future of psychology" and which could be used for explanation to other students. Any takers? This would certainly be an invaluable contribution, and if too long for the Newsletter it would be highly appropriate for the PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD.

***

When the prospectus to the Newsletter was mailed out one response was the following objection: "With regard to the INTERBEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGY NEWSLETTER, I think that the time is right to merge 'interbehavioral psychology' with ordinary everyday behaviorism as run-of-the-mill behaviorists are showing increasing symptoms of 'interbehavioral' (i.e., naturalistic) thinking. Is it then appropriate to perpetuate the 'distinctness' myth? Will not an in-group newsletter tend to reinforce distinctions (often pseudo or 'straw manish' in nature, or at least caused by language differences) rather than promote genuine exchange of knowledge, etc.? In as much as Kantor

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founded the PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD, would not this be an appropriate place to exchange tidbits of INTERBEHAVIORAL insights, news, etc.? By so doing, non-initiates might happen to read of and become interested in interbehaviorism. It would seem that your newsletter could be included as a supplement to, or even a 'feature' of THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD." As editor, I will leave a response to the first part to anyone who wishes to do so, but I think a comment on the latter proposal is appropriate: It seems doubtful whether the informal exchange of information in a newsletter would be the likely fodder for a professional journal. I see the functions as quite different. However, if the RECORD should decide to undertake such a function--and thus far it has not except for a few items when it first resumed publication in the 50's--the Newsletter would be unnecessary and could very well cease. But the assumption of such a role is a decision for the editors of the RECORD and completely out of the province of this editor.

*****

A job opening for a social psychologist for which an interbehavioral orientation might be appropriate is available at the University of Tennessee. Write to William S. Verplanck, Head, Department of Psychology, Knoxville, Tennessee 37916. Whether you apply or not be sure to see the very unusual full page ad in AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST, January 1970, p. 6a.

*****

Harry Mahan has a few remaining copies of his text: THE INTERACTIONAL PSYCHOLOGY OF J.R. KANTOR: AN INTRODUCTION which he will send gratis to anyone who writes for a copy. Address: Department of Psychology, Palomar College, San Marcos, California 92069. He has also just published a new text in question and answer form: A PRIMER OF INTERACTIONAL PSYCHOLOGY. It sells for \$1.95. A workbook will be available in May. He has the material on tapes and reports that adoptions will require either the tapes or the workbook and will be highly suitable for use by teaching assistants. He also suggests that Pronko's PANORAMA OF PSYCHOLOGY would be a useful adjunct text. We can look forward to hearing more about his pioneering efforts in the "first college course outside of the language field to be completely programmed and on cassettes available to students."

*****

Paul Mountjoy has developed study aids for Kantor's THE SCIENTIFIC EVOLUTION OF PSYCHOLOGY for all of volume 1 and most of volume 2. Much of it takes the form of commentaries and provides some delightful reading. Address: Department of Psychology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49001.

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The University of Akron will present an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree to Dr. Kantor on May 9 at the Second Annual Meeting of The Cheiron Society: The International Society for the History of the Behavioral and Social Sciences. If you are a former student of Dr. Kantor and have not received information please write immediately to Marion White McPherson, Archives of the History of American Psychology, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44304.

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Another summer conference in interbehavioral psychology has been planned for June 8-19. The site will be Valcour Conference Center, a setting of beauty and semi-remoteness on Lake Champlain. We are presently awaiting word from NSF about financial support. Following are four items from the 1969 conference. The first is the telegram sent by the participants to Dr. Kantor; the second is part of a letter by this editor reporting the conference to him; the third is a portion of his report; and the fourth is an account of the conference by one of the participants that somewhat stresses the lighter side of it. (See first issue for description of conference and Paul Fuller's account.)

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Telegram June 20, 1969:

From June 16 through June 22 near the village of Chazy, New York, at Miner Institute under the joint auspices of the Miner Foundation and the Faculty of Social Sciences of State University College of Arts and Science at Plattsburgh, N.Y., we are discussing the current status of interbehaviorism, its contributions to the science of behavior, and its future.

In addition to the stimulating intellectual discussions centered on interbehavioral psychology, historical incidents have been recalled which point up the interpersonal contributions to the development of interbehavioral psychologists. These emphasize the warm personal affections we all feel toward you, Dr. Kantor. Please accept our kindest regards.

This editor's letter June 23:

The conference on interbehavioral psychology seems to have been quite successful. It was a great pleasure to be able to discuss topics on the basis of a common orientation and a common understanding of principles. It was the interbehavioral principles themselves that dominated much of the discussion, but the utilization of the principles in such fields as linguistics, physiological psychology, and operant conditioning received much attention.

As for fruitfulness of the meetings, it was agreed that we should meet again next year and make provision for graduate students to attend, we should start a newsletter, and we should begin some joint efforts at book publishing. I will be editing the newsletter and hope to get it underway by fall.

Dr. Kantor's reply July 20:

You indicated future plans of the group in all its phases, inclusion of graduate students, starting a newsletter, and developing of a publication program, all sound appealing and I hope that they will all work out to your satisfaction and to that of the group. I will surely follow the development of the Conference with great interest, and if conditions allow I would very much like to participate in and help further the good work of the group. Please keep me informed of any new developments.

You probably know about the appreciative telegram I received from the members of the conference. It was a beautiful gesture and I was very much touched by it. Should you be in communication with any of them I would like you to convey my deep thanks.

Wayne Lazar's account of the conference:

Several interbehavioral psychologists met at the Miner Institute at Chazy, New York, and took advantage of the fourth annual Summer Community of Scholars to discuss J. R. Kantor's approach and significance to psychology.

Mornings were set aside for seminars of our choosing: We discussed, for example, the teaching of interbehavioral psychology. During the afternoons, and one evening, we had formal sessions during which some one of us presented a prepared paper. They ranged from a theoretical analysis to an application of interbehavioral psychology to system engineering.

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Recreation, I think, was an important ingredient of our conference. Not only did we enjoy various sports and sight-seeing trips--I let Paul Fuller beat me at tennis, for example--but the atmosphere of our discussions was light and, at times, jocular as well as serious. Probably because of the informality that this inspired, and, not in the least, because the meeting turned out to be like Homecoming for Indiana University graduates who were at IU at about the time both Kantor and Skinner were there, reminiscences about "old times" were there for the listening. Not being of the era and up until then having never seen or talked with Kantor, I got a good deal from these flashbacks. I think it is important to know Kantor the man as well as Kantor the scholar because then we would be less likely to read him for "truth" and more likely to read him critically.

In the formal discussion several points emerged: (1) We were ignorant about what Kantor thinks about some fine points, e.g., the difference between a biological event and a psychological event at early stages in behavioral development or in some specific species, as well as some rather broad topics, esoteric to most psychologists, such as, logic. (2) None of us really knew about the influence Kantor has had even though we could name some Kantorianians who were interested in various specialties. What, for example, was his specific contribution to the present state of affairs in physiological or comparative psychology most of whose workers now subscribe to non-dualistic tenets he expressed almost fifty years ago. Also, (3) to put it simply, what more can psychologists learn from Kantor who, to be pragmatic, has been "right" about so much?

In retrospect these kinds of questions probably prompted us to have more Summer conferences and to study Kantor's contributions more thoroughly. We had and still have good deal of enthusiasm about studying Kantor's works, criticizing them, and demonstrating the extent of their influence. I think that this newsletter is objective proof of our intent.

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The account of awards to Jerry Carter and Julian Rotter will be postponed until a future issue.

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"Can't you give me brains?" asked the Scarecrow.

"You don't need them. You are learning something everyday. A baby has brains but it doesn't know much. Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are onearth the more experience you are sure to get." -- Frank Baum:
The Wizard of Oz