A Behavioristic Analysis of the Book of Job

Abstract

A behavioristic analysis based on current principles and empirical findings of learning psychology is applied to the Old Testament Book of Job. Specifically, the psychological origins of Job's helplessness are analyzed from such a behavioristic perspective. This analysis compares the behavior of Job with the phenomenon of “learned helplessness,” indicating that there is almost perfect correspondence between Job's situation and established experimental conditions which produce “learned helplessness” in the laboratory. Central to the argument is the idea that Job's misfortunes were noncontingent, i.e., that they were not imposed because of Job's wickedness. Biblical evidence for Job's helplessness and the case for noncontingency are documented.