Functional Relations #36 - Did Skinner Meditate? Behaviorism Meets Contemplative Living w/ David Roth
Nov 1, 2025
David Roth, a behavior analyst and member of the B.F. Skinner Foundation, explores the intersection of behaviorism and meditation. He shares insights into Skinner's thoughts on meditation and offers a behavior-analytic breakdown of self-mands and mindful practices. The conversation delves into everyday meditative routines, the significance of breath observation, and the challenges of loving-kindness. David also emphasizes the link between a deterministic view and enhanced compassion, encouraging practical ways to integrate contemplative habits into daily life.
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Meditation As Behavioral Self‑Observation
- Skinner considered meditation as analyzing "what one does when doing nothing" and noted it reveals unfamiliar parts of oneself.
- Objective self-observation can expose displaced or concealed behavior for later analysis.
Start Simple: Observe One Stimulus
- Start meditation by creating a low-distraction setting and observing one aspect of your behavior, often the breath.
- Use covert labels (e.g., "in", "out") to compete with internal chatter and sustain attention.
Silent Verbal Behavior Develops With Practice
- As speaker and listener repertoires converge, self‑tacting becomes quieter and more subtle but still functional.
- Sustained practice shifts overt self-talk into swift, almost unnoticed discriminations.
