ABSTRACT
The experimental analysis of young children’s behavior with its research emphasis on observable, measurable, and replicable interactions between the child and his environment is often seen as incompatible with good early-childhood programs that emphasize the freedom and spontaneity preschool teachers traditionally prize. In fact, the incompatibility frequently is seen as rooted in divergent philosophical frameworks – researchers viewing themselves as engaged in scientific pursuits, preschool teachers viewing themselves as engaged in more intuitive and artistic pursuits.
