THE VALUE OF RECOGNIZING OUR DIFFERENCES AND PROMOTING HEALTHY COMPETITION - THE COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL DEBATE

Few issues within behavior therapy have aroused as much debate as the causal status of cognitions. We briefly trace the history of the debat e, provide recent exemplars of misunderstanding, and seek to clarify i mportant epistemological distinctions between radical and cognitive be haviorism. It is suggested that cognitive and radical behavioral thera pists share a pragmatic interest in effecting and demonstrating behavi or change, but differ significantly with respect to how change is expl ained. Less certain is the extent to which the practices of radical be havioral and cognitive therapists differ. It is concluded that radical (contextual) and cognitive (mechanistic) views, though distinct, are both scientifically respected approaches to studying human behavior wi th important roles to play in the future of behavior therapy. The mult igenerational enterprise called behavior therapy stands to be enriched by promoting shared values, acceptance of our differences, and encour aging healthy competition.