ABSTRACT
An attempt is made to understand the behaviors involved in two different self-control strategies: Zen meditation and behavioral self-management. The first technique is derived from the Eastern “religious-philosophical” tradition of Zen Buddhism; the other technique is derived from Western laboratory and field settings and is based on social learning theory. Using tools of naturalistic observation and experimental analysis, Zen breath meditation is conceptualized as a sequence of behaviors involving certain cues and consequences, and thereby under explicit contingency arrangements. The same tools of experimental analysis are then applied to the behavioral self-management techniques, and a series of comparisons and contrasts are made between the two. After briefly reviewing the clinical outcome literature for both strategies, the article concludes with a discussion of the rehabilitative and preventive benefits that may be gained from a combination of the two techniques.
