| Abstract: This presentation extends the behavioral interpretation of the psychological term “consciousness.” It distinguishes between Consciousness-1 as awareness and Consciousness-2 as awareness of awareness. It offers a brief history of Consciosness-2 (e.g., Skinner’s verbal summator, awareness in verbal conditioning, in comparisons with psychoanalysis). The behavioral interpretations of Consciosness-2 are more recent, but have been sometimes shallow (e.g., describing one’s own behavior, but not why) and narrow (e.g., not describing its effects on others). This presentation extends the depth of the whys and the breadth of the effects. The whys include the consequences and antecedents for describing one’s behavior. More deeply, they include motivational operations. More deeply still, they include behavioral history. Still more deeply, they include the individual, social, and cultural sources of the whys (e.g., familial, institutional). The effects include the influence of one’s behavior as consequences and antecedents for the behavior of others. More broadly, they include its function as motivational operations. More broadly still, they include its effects on their future behavior. Still more broadly, they include the social and cultural sources of the effects (e.g., familial, institutional). The presentation concludes with some means for deepening and broadening our consciousness (e.g., direct instruction, mindfulness training). |