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6.6 Relational Frames Are Patterns of Responding

Relational frames are performances or patterns of responding. Relational frames are not mental entities, brain structures, or โ€œthingsโ€ of any sort. But what kind of responding or performance does a relational frame represent? Youโ€™ll find out in the coming lessons.

Sometimes it can be tricky to remember that nouns can be used to describe behaviors or actions, and not just people, places, or things. To help you start thinking about the difference, drag each noun below into the category that best suits it.

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I think the context matters whether a football game is a person/place/thing or a behavior. If I say “I’m going to a football game” then the football game is a place/thing, isn’t it? The behavior is me going to it. Is there a better way to tell them apart?

I see what you’re saying, however, “the game” isn’t the place it’s the activity or performance/behavior that will be performed in a place like a field or a stadium.

I was thinking the same thing Zach

Agreed! I think “voting” rather than “an election”, “acting” rather than “a play”, and “playing football” rather than “a football game” would have been clearer examples. I interpreted all three as things rather than actions.

Perhaps, but using those terms would defeat the purpose of this exercise. The point of this exercise is to remind the learner that NOUNS can be used to refer to behavior or actions, not just people, places, or things. All of the words or phrases you suggested are VERBS. The fact that you “interpreted all three as things” is precisely why this exercise was created. Not all nouns name “things” — some are naming actions — and that is an important distinction when thinking about what a “relational frame” is.

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