EDF5683 Philosophical foundations of behaviour analysis
Faculty of Education
EDF5683 Philosophical foundations of behaviour analysis is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Education, offered in 2023 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2023
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2023 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before EDF5683
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After EDF5683
No unit lists EDF5683 as a prerequisite in the 2023 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Must be enrolled in D60027, D6011 or D6015
Overview
Applied behaviour analysis is a science devoted to the understanding and improvement of human behaviour. To be skilled in the design and delivery of behaviour analytic interventions, one must first have a strong understanding of the philosophy of the science. In this unit, we will explore radical behaviourism as the philosophy underlying the science of applied behaviour analysis. We will review the goals and assumptions of science, the philosophical assumptions underpinning the science of behaviour analysis, compare and contrast radical behaviourism and other theories of learning and behaviour, and describe learning and behaviour from the perspective of a radical behaviourist. This unit aligns primarily with Section 1A of the BACBs 5th Edition Task List.
Offerings in 2023
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | Flexible |
Assessment
- Multi-choice tests (1600 words or equivalent)40%
- Comparative essay (2400 words or equivalent)60%
- Directed online learning activitiesCompetency hurdle-
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
identify the goals of behaviour analysis as a science (i.e., description, prediction, control)
- 2
explain the philosophical assumptions underlying the science of behaviour analysis (e.g., selectionism, determinism, empiricism, parsimony, pragmatism)
- 3
explain behaviour (including private events) in accordance with the philosophical assumptions of radical behaviourism
- 4
distinguish among behaviourism, the experimental analysis of behaviour, applied behaviour analysis, and professional practice guided by the science of behaviour analysis
- 5
describe and define the dimensions of applied behaviour analysis
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials45 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study.
Usually, you can expect to engage with:
• 12 hours of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities, 33 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study
OR
• 45 hours of scheduled learning delivered online via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous directed learning activities and the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study^
^ International students studying in Australia are not permitted to undertake this scheduled learning delivery mode.
Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
You will be provided with the opportunity to engage with relevant literature and resources. Further, you will be encouraged to deepen your understanding of topic areas through collegial discussion and debate, and by participating in activities designed to extend your understanding.
Learning resources
Recommended resources
Please visit the unit Moodle site for further information.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Russ Fox
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Russ Fox
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for EDF5683?
EDF5683 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is EDF5683 offered?
In 2023, EDF5683 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
How much work is EDF5683?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does EDF5683 have an exam?
No. EDF5683 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.