Stimulus Control as an Instance or an Inference: Commentary on Remarks by Murray Sidman

The reprinting of the Remarks by Murray Sidman serves as a setting to remind behavior analysts of important issues that they face in both research and application. When the term “stimulus control” refers to both sides of the same coin, so to speak, in different areas of the vast literature on behavior analysis, there can be problems with communication about which side one refers to. In some sense, one might say that the term “stimulus control” is not always an effective stimulus because it can lead to different responses – in this case, statements by behavior analysts. This discourse about the Remarks serves as an invitation for Murray Sidman to provide additional thoughts and articulation about the issues raised here. In this particular case, maybe Murray Sidman can provide some suggestions for terminology that can tease apart the different meanings of the term “stimulus control.”