Murray Sidman

Murray Sidman was a psychologist best known for developing the concept of stimulus equivalence in behavior analysis. This idea explains how we form mental connections between different stimuli—such as recognizing that the words "dog" and the image of a dog represent the same thing—without explicit training for every possible relationship. Sidman's work has advanced understanding of learning, language, and cognition, showing how the brain creates networks of related ideas and symbols. His research has important implications for education and behavior therapy, helping us understand how complex learning and reasoning develop from basic associations.