The Act in Context: The Canonical Papers of Steven C. Hayes

355 Pages·2015·2.79 MB·English

by  Steven C. Hayes

THE ACT IN CONTEXT
The Canonical Papers of Steven C. Hayes is a compilation of his most pivotal
articles written from 1982–2012. Through these selected papers, Hayes again
revisits the theoretical struggles between behavioral and cognitive-behavior
theories, taking us from the 1980s into present day, discussing the break-
throughs and follies. Using this as a focus point, he discusses the tradition of
behavior analysis and its difficulties in addressing human language and cogni-
tion. Moving forward into the 90s, he chronicles the changes in a behavioral
approach that emerge from a contextual perspective on human cognition, and
lays out the foundation for a contextual behavioral science approach that he
argues is more likely to lead to an understanding of human action and an alle-
viation of human suffering. Although the articles have previously been pub-
lished, they have been edited and compiled to ensure this branch of research
is clear to the modern audience. The compilation was chosen by Dr. Hayes
to enhance his vision for a functional contextual approach to complex human
behavior.
Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is a Nevada Foundation Professor at the Depart-
ment of Psychology at the University of Nevada. An author of over 38 books
and 550+ scientific articles, his career has focused on analyzing the nature of
human language and cognition, and applying this knowledge to understanding
and alleviating human suffering.
The World Library of Mental Health celebrates the important contributions to
mental health made by leading experts in their individual fields. Each author
has compiled a career-long collection of what they consider to be their finest
pieces: extracts from books, journals, articles, major theoretical and practical
contributions, and salient research findings.
For the first time ever the work of each contributor is presented in a single
volume so readers can follow the themes and progress of their work and iden-
tify the contributions made to, and the development of, the fields themselves.
Each book in the series features a specially written introduction by the
contributor giving an overview of his career, contextualizing his selection
within the development of the field, and showing how his own thinking
developed over time.
Rationality and Pluralism—The Selected Works of Windy Dryden
By Windy Dryden
The Price of Love—The Selected Works of Colin Murray Parkes
By Colin Murray Parkes
Attachments: Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis—The Selected
Works of Jeremy Holmes
By Jeremy Holmes
Passions, Persons, Psychotherapy, Politics—The Selected Works of
Andrew Samuels
By Andrew Samuels
Towards a Radical Redefinition of Psychology—The Selected Works of
Miller Mair
Edited by David Winter and Nick Reed
Living Archetypes—The Selected Works of Anthony Stevens
By Anthony Stevens
Soul: Treatment and Recovery—The Selected Works of Murray Stein
By Murray Stein
A Developmentalist’s Approach to Research, Theory, and Therapy—
The Selected Works of Joseph Lichtenberg
By Joseph D. Lichtenberg
THE ACT IN
CONTEXT
The Canonical Papers of Steven C. Hayes
Steven C. Hayes, Editor
First published 2016
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
27 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2FA
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2016 Taylor & Francis
The right of the editor to be identified as the author of the editorial
material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been
asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hayes, Steven C.[Papers. Selections]Acts in context : the canonical
papers of Steven C. Hayes / Steven C. Hayes.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Context effects (Psychology) 2. Cognitive therapy.
3. Behavior therapy. 4. Psychotherapy. I. Title.
BF315.2.H39 2015
150.19'43––dc23
2015019895
ISBN: 978-1-138-81860-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-74513-8 (ebk)
Typeset in Abode Caslon
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
To Steven Joseph Pistorello-Hayes—my last child:
Suffering is ahead for you, due to life itself. It is painful to know I cannot
completely prevent it. The same will be true of your children, for you, and of
their children, for them.
I can hope, however, that something in this book, and the work and
community it is part of, will be of use to you, even just a little. And I can
hope that in some tiny way it puts things into the culture that will be there
to help your children, and your children’s children, even though they are
unlikely ever to know who we were, nor our role in what was there for them.
Peace, love, and life, my sweet boy.
I love you always,
Dad
“Steve Hayes is one of the most original thinkers in modern psychology. His
ideas not only revolutionized behavior analysis and clinical practice but also
have the potential to shake up the realm of cognitive science. This book offers
a unique opportunity to (re)discover some of his most fascinating work.”
—Jan De Houwer, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Ghent University
“Few people are as creative and insightful as Steven Hayes in making sense
of human complexity and helping people move forward in positive ways. This
book chronicles the development of a great mind.”
—Kelly D. Brownell, PhD, Dean, Sanford School of Public Policy,
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University
“In this remarkable collection of profound insights, Steven Hayes laid the
foundation of some ground-breaking new therapeutic approaches, including
but not limited to, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Hayes’ work shows
incredible breadth and depth, ranging from theories of verbal relations and be-
havior analysis to issues on epistemology, spirituality, and evolution. Whether
you agree with him or not, his thinking has been and will continue to be the
inspiration of generations of future scholars, researchers, and clinicians. His
thinking targets the essential questions about applied behavioral sciences with
the goal to improve the human condition. Thank you, Steve.”
—Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Department of
Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University; Author, An Introduction
to Modern CBT: Psychological Solutions for Mental Health Problems
“Steve Hayes has dedicated his life to maximising human potential for a rich
and meaningful life. This book will give you fascinating insights into that
lifelong journey. Although these papers are technical in nature, and therefore
somewhat demanding, this is a really worthwhile and meaningful read. If you
are interested in the evolution of ACT and RFT, and the science and philos-
ophy underpinning them, then it is well worth investing your time and energy
to read and absorb these landmark scientific papers. A must for all ACT and
RFT completionists.”
—Russ Harris, Author, The Happiness Trap
CONTENTS
A Note About Changes in the Included Articles xi
Steven C. Hayes
Functional Foundations of a Contextual Behavioral Approach:
Professional and Personal History xiii
Steven C. Hayes
SECTION 1—ORIGINS AND ASSUMPTIONS 1
Planting the Seeds of Contextual Behavioral Science 3
Fredrick Chin and Steven C. Hayes
1 Rule-Governed Behavior: A Potential Theoretical Framework
for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy 7
Robert D. Zettle and Steven C. Hayes
2 Falsification and the Protective Belt Surrounding
Entity-Postulating Theories 38
Steven C. Hayes
3 Making Sense of Spirituality 42
Steven C. Hayes
4 Finding the Philosophical Core: A Review of
Stephen C. Pepper’s 57
World Hypotheses
Steven C. Hayes, Linda J. Hayes, and Hayne W. Reese
Contents vii
5 Mentalism, Behavior-Behavior Relations, and a
Behavior-Analytic View of the Purposes of Science 78
Steven C. Hayes and Aaron J. Brownstein
6 Analytic Goals and the Varieties of Scientific Contextualism 100
Steven C. Hayes
7 Behavioral Epistemology Includes Nonverbal Knowing 117
Steven C. Hayes
SECTION 2—PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES 127
Cognition, Assessment, and Psychopathology: Basic
Behavioral Principles and Applied Model 129
Fredrick Chin and Steven C. Hayes
8 Verbal Relations and the Evolution of Behavior Analysis 132
Steven C. Hayes and Linda J. Hayes
9 The Treatment Utility of Assessment: A Functional
Approach to Evaluating Assessment Quality 160
Steven C. Hayes, Rosemery O. Nelson, and Robin Jarrett
10 Experiential Avoidance and Behavioral Disorders: A Functional
Dimensional Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment 171
Steven C. Hayes, Kelly G. Wilson, Elizabeth
V. Gifford, Victoria M. Follette, and Kirk Strosahl
SECTION 3—CLINICAL METHODS AND
DEVELOPMENTAL VISION 205
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Frame
Theory, and a Contextual Behavioral Science Approach 207
Fredrick Chin and Steven C. Hayes
11 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Frame Theory,
and the Third Wave of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 210
Steven C. Hayes
12 Buddhism and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 239
Steven C. Hayes
viii Contents
13 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Model,
Processes, and Outcomes 249
Steven C. Hayes, Jason Luoma, Frank W. Bond,
Akihiko Masuda, and Jason Lillis
14 Contextual Behavioral Science: Creating a Science
More Adequate to the Challenge of the Human Condition 280
Steven C. Hayes, Dermot Barnes-Holmes, and Kelly G. Wilson
Epilogue
Looking to the Future of ACT, RFT, and Contextual
Behavioral Science 319
Steven C. Hayes and Fredrick Chin
Index 323
Contents ix