Branch, M. N. (2006).
How research in behavioral pharmacology informs behavioral science.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 85, 407-423.
Behavioral pharmacology is a maturing science that has made significant contributions
to the study of drug effects on behavior, especially in the domain of drug-behavior
interactions. Less appreciated is that research in behavioral pharmacology can have,
and has had, implications for the experimental analysis of behavior, especially its
conceptualizations and theory. In this article, I outline three general strategies
in behavioral pharmacology research that have been employed to increase understanding
of behavioral processes. Examples are provided of the general characteristics of the
strategies and of implications of previous research for behavior theory. Behavior
analysis will advance as its theories are challenged.
Key words: drug effects, drugs as tools, drug self-administration, drug discrimination,
private events, punishment, match to sample