Obviously. I agree that Herrnstein and the matching law are extremely important - far more important in fact than is generally accepted.
The reason I do not include Herrnstein is the same reason I don't include Piaget. I don't think he is part of the "mainline" history of our discipline.
As Tim points out in another post, there are a variety of ways to structure the H&S "story." I structure the course to using a "tree" model to tell the story. There are roots in the form of philosophy and physiology. Sometime in the middle of the 19th century these roots come together to form the "trunk" of what we now call psychology. Before that point, we have philosophers and physiologists. After, we have philosopher-physiologists who in turn become psychologists. From there, the "trunk" of the tree grows relatively straight and narrow. At various places along the way (and quite a lot in recent years) various subspecialties emerge as branches from the tree.
In organizing my course, I try to include people and events who form the trunk of the tree - people and events common to the history of all psychology. I do not include individuals who are somewhere out on the branches. Skinner and Watson had an enduring effect on all of psychology. Much as I might like it to be, I don't think Herrnstein and the matching law have the same influence. Likewise, I think Piaget has had a huge influence on developmental psychology, but relatively little impact on the "trunk" of the tree.
This is obviously very subjective and open to argument - but it works for me to tell the story this way.
-- Jim
At 11:26 AM 3/26/2004 -0500, you wrote:
Why wouldn't Herrnsteing belong in a H&S course? The Matching law was his as well as the early papers on concept learning in pigeons.
Richard Pisacreta, Ph.D. Professor, Psychology Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI 49307
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