E. C. Tolman and the intervening variable: A study in the epistemological history of psychology

Philosophy of Science 50 (2):268-282 (1983)
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Abstract

E. C. Tolman's 'purposive behaviorism' is commonly interpreted as an attempt to operationalize a cognitivist theory of learning by the use of the 'Intervening Variable' (IV). Tolman would thus be a counterinstance to an otherwise reliable correlation of cognitivism with realism, and S-R behaviorism with operationalism. A study of Tolman's epistemological background, with a careful reading of his methodological writings, shows the common interpretation to be false. Tolman was a cognitivist and a realist. His 'IV' has been systematically misinterpreted by both behaviorists and antibehaviorists. For this reason, Tolman's alliance with modern cognitivism and his influence on its development have been underestimated.

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Citations of this work

Black box inference: When should intervening variables be postulated?Elliott Sober - 1998 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 49 (3):469-498.
Clark Hull, Robert Cummins, and functional analysis.Ron Amundson & Laurence D. Smith - 1984 - Philosophy of Science 51 (December):657-666.
Philosophy of Psychology as Philosophy of Science.Gary Hatfield - 1994 - PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1994:19 - 23.

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References found in this work

Brainstorms.Daniel Dennett - 1978 - Philosophy of Science 47 (2):326-327.
The Explanation of Behaviour.Charles Taylor - 1967 - Mind 76 (301):127-136.
"What is learned?"—A theoretical blind alley.Howard H. Kendler - 1952 - Psychological Review 59 (4):269-277.

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