Abstract: Skinner formally introduced selection by consequences to behavior analysis in 1981. Since then, behavior analysts and researchers from other disciplines have expanded our understanding of selection to include units of selection, variation of those units, unit-environment interaction, selection, and maintenance of the units. Many researchers now recognize five levels at which selection occurs: evolution, epigenetics, immunology, behavior, and cultural practices. The Department of Psychology at Fresno State has offered a topics course called “Selection Sciences” for four years. The main content is how these systems work in general, with detailed analyses at each level. Additional topics include the history of selectionist approaches, dynamical systems, complexity, emergence, and chaos theory. The course is open to all undergraduates, fulfills a Psychology major requirement, and has been well received. Classes such as this may help bridge gaps between behavior analysis and other sub-disciplines within psychology along with related sciences, as selection processes are inherently multidisciplinary. |