COMMENTARIES ON GOLDIAMOND'S "TOWARD A CONSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS"

Goldiamond left us an orientation (a constructional one) which at its most abstract description solved the problems of an individual by the construction of repertoires as opposed to their elimination. No new therapy was advanced, but rather a call to make explicit what goes on in any therapeutic endeavor in terms of outcome, procedure, entering repertoires, and maintenance methods.

The Roman elder Cato regarded a rhetorician as a good man (ethically) speaking well (effectively). What Goldiamond gave us in the name of the Constructionalist was a good man (or woman) teaching well-the therapist as an ethical teacher. What we often find instead in current doctoral programs are teachers of ethics.

REFERENCES

Goldiamond, I. (1977). Protection of human subjects and patients. In J. E. Krapfl & E. A. Vargas (Eds.), Behaviorism and ethics (pp. 129-187). Kalamazoo, MI.: Behaviordelia.

Goldiamond, I. (1975). Singling out behavior modification for legal regulation: Some effects on patient care, psychotherapy, and research in general. Arizona Law Review, 105-126.

Knapp, T. J. & Downs, D. L. (1977). Radical behaviorism and ethics: To train advocates or apologists. In J. E. Krapfl & E. A. Vargas (Eds.), Behaviorism and ethics (pp. 307-317). Kalamazoo, ML: Behaviordelia.

Knapp, T. J. & Schumacher, M. T. (1988). Westphal's Die Agoraphobie with commentary: The beginnings of agoraphobia. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.

Krapfl, J. E. & Vargas, E. A. (1977). Behaviorism and Ethics. Kalamazoo, MI: Behaviordelia.

Meadowcroft, P. (1977). Commentary. In In J. E. Krapfl & E. A. Vargas (Eds.). Behaviorism and ethics (pp. 188-195). Kalamazoo, MI: Behaviordelia.

Skinner, B. F. (1971). Beyond freedom and dignity. Boston: Knopf.

Wexler, D. B. (1973). Token and taboo: Behavior modification, token economies, and the law. Behaviorism, 1, 1-24.

Terry Knapp

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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