rule-governed behavior

any behavior that is influenced by verbal antecedents, such as following instructions (as when children clean their rooms because they are told to do so) or reacting to one’s own private thinking (as when an adult begins an exercise program after thinking “I need to lose weight”). The term does not refer to behavior that can be described by a rule. For example, rats’ behavior that adopts a win–stay, lose–shift strategy cannot be described as rule-governed. Also called verbally governed behavior. Compare contingency-governed behavior.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

drug education

the process of informing individuals or groups about the effects of various chemical agents on the human body, usually with a special emphasis on the effects of mind-altering substances.