April 2021 Speaker Series: Dr. Jordan Belisle (1 CEU)

Relational Dynamics: The Self-Organization of Human Language and Cognition

Abstract

We have witnessed a rapid evolution in our understanding of human language and cognition in the field of behavior analysis over the past 50 years. Developments in Stimulus Equivalence and Relational Frame Theory have co-occurred with the study of complex systems within other natural science disciplines (e.g., physics, chemistry, biology). I will discuss how human language and cognition can be viewed from a dynamical approach that emphasizes higher-order patterns of relational responding. In support of this approach, I will discuss a series of basic experimental studies supporting two potential self-organizing properties of relational frames: Relational resistance and relational gravity. In the first study, the relative strength of relational classes can be predicted given knowledge of relational density. In the second set, class mergers can be predicted given knowledge of relational coherence, or the relative distance between relational classes. This analytic strategy may produce several potential avenues for future research and field development, such as understanding relational dynamics that contribute to gender and racial stereotyping, how to create relational frames that are resistant to misinformation, as well as potential implications for behavior therapy across populations.

Learning Objectives

After this presentations, participants will be able to:

· Describe the difference between relational frames and relational dynamics

· Discuss the quantitative principles within Relational Density Theory

· Describe the potential role of self-organization in stereotyping and misinformation

· Discuss potential therapeutic applications of a dynamical perspective of human language and cognition