Parsimony
Also called: principle of parsimony, Occam's razor
Definition
The rule that simpler explanations are tried and ruled out before more complex or abstract ones are accepted. In behavior analysis it steers explanation toward observable environmental variables before invoking hidden mental causes.
In plain language
Try the simple explanation first. Only reach for a complex one after the simple one has failed.
Example
Before concluding a learner "has anxiety about work," the analyst checks whether the tasks are simply followed by escape.
Not parsimony
Assuming a complicated inner cause when the data show the behavior only happens when attention is withdrawn.
See also
Written from
- skinner-1953
Written from Skinner (1953) and general philosophy of science. No textbook glossary consulted.
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