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Relational Frame Theory

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Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development

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Synonyms

RFT

Definition

Relational Frame Theory (RFT; [13]) is a behavior analytic theory that analyzes and explains the development of language and cognition in terms of learned, generalized, contextually-controlled patterns of relational responding, referred to as arbitrarily applicable relational responding or relational framing.

Description

Relational Frame Theory (RFT; [13]) is a behavior analytic approach to language and cognition. Behavior analysis has traditionally been regarded as an extremely effective approach with regard to training non-verbal skills in non-humans and non-verbally able humans but has been seen as deficient in terms of its ability to account for the generative nature of human language (see [6]). Relational Frame Theorists would agree that traditional behavioral accounts such as that of Skinner [22] are theoretically inadequate with respect to this aspect of language. However, they argue that the novel generalized relational operant account provided by RFT...

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway,  , Republic of Ireland

    Ian Stewart

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  1. Ian Stewart
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Correspondence to Ian Stewart .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology, Learning and Behavior Center, 230 South 500 East, Suite 100, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84102, USA

    Sam Goldstein Ph.D.

  2. Department of Psychology MS 2C6, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA

    Jack A. Naglieri Ph.D. (Professor of Psychology) (Professor of Psychology)

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Stewart, I. (2011). Relational Frame Theory. In: Goldstein, S., Naglieri, J.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_3143

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_3143

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-77579-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-79061-9

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science

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