Process and Content in Behavioral and Cultural Phenomena

Abstract

The phenomena to be explained in terms of scientific principles may be termed the "content" of a science. Behavioral content is organized at the level of individual organisms. Human behavioral repertoires are unique and complex organizations of activityIenvironment relations. The content of human behavior is accounted for in terms of evolutionary processes occurring at the behavioral level of analysis, during the lifetime of individual organisms.. Cultural content originates when behavioral rep ertoires of two or more individuals form an enduring unit that has the possibility of lasting beyond the lifetime of those individuals. Evolutionary processes occurring at the cultural level of analysis account for cultural practices that extend across generations. The units that come into existence as a result of behavioral and cultural evolutionary processes are the content of behavioral and cultural sciences. Science.. based solutions to human problems involve making use of knowledge of behavioral and cultural processes to bring about change in behavioral and cultural content.