BIBLICAL BEHAVIOR-MODIFICATION

Although we may have formalized and systematized the field of behavior modification in the last few decades, people around the world have be en using behavioral change strategies throughout history. Premack's (1 965) theory of reinforcement is often called ''Grandma's rule'' becaus e grandmothers have long been using it (e.g. You must finish your vege tables before you may go out and play). Franks (1969, p. 4), in one of the first behavioral texts, gave historical examples from China, Turk ey, France, and Italy. Knapp and Shodahl (1974) showed how Benjamin Fr anklin used behavior modification. And de Silva (1984, 1985) gave exam ples of behavior modification by the Buddha and other early Buddhists. Conspicuously absent from our literature are examples from the Judeo- Christian tradition. In this paper, we provide a number of behavior mo dification examples from the Bible (New International Version). Footno tes provide references for many more examples. In the discussion, we e xplore implications for education and therapy. Examples are grouped by the following categories: operant conditioning, respondent conditioni ng, modeling, and cognitive interventions. However, the Biblical examp les, like contemporary case studies, do not always fall neatly into di screte categories. They often are a combination, particularly operant and respondent conditioning interweaving. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd