The Ten Commandments: A Behavioral Science View

I’m not a theologian. I’m a psychologist and natural scientist who studies behavior in context, particularly how language shapes both human suffering and flourishing, and how subcultures reinforce behavioral repertoires. So why would I write about the Ten Commandments?

Because even from a secular, science-based perspective, they offer a surprisingly functional framework for living a values-driven, prosocial life.

For over 30 years, my work in evidence-based behavioral science, especially acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and contextual behavioral science (CBS), has emphasized meaningful action, authentic relationships, and embracing the natural experience of the human condition. From this context, the Commandments can be understood not as religious doctrine but as durable verbal rules supporting psychological flexibility and behavioral health.

Natural science and timeless paths

Source: kegfire/ Envato/ Used with paid permission

Verbal Rules and Human Behavior

In ACT and CBS, we understand that human beings don’t just respond to the direct contingencies of the environment. We respond to verbal behavior, a term B.F. Skinner elaborated on in his book by the same name (Skinner, 1957) to describe how language influences human action. While we’ve learned a great deal more about human language since then, Skinner’s core idea remains influential: Behavior can be shaped by words, even in the absence of direct experience.

Clearly, some verbal behavior is problematic: Irrational beliefs and cognitive distortions can lead to suffering. But other verbal behavior is functional: Rational thinking, values articulation, and rule-following can improve life outcomes.

One key benefit of language is that it allows us to learn from the experiences of others. For example, a child might hear, “Don’t touch the stove or you’ll get hurt.” In a psychologically healthy upbringing, that child may avoid the burn without ever needing to experience the consequence directly. Likewise, language teaches us how to pursue desirable outcomes without trial and error. “If you ask politely, you’re more likely to get what you want,” becomes a contingency-specifying rule the child can act on.

Skinner (1969) defined a rule as a contingency-specifying stimulus. Briefly, it’s a way language helps us act effectively in situations we haven’t directly encountered. Human lives are guided by these verbal cues, such as words, instructions, and norms, which influence behavior across time and space.

Some rules are rigid, coercive, or disconnected from personal values. But when they are flexible, cooperative, and values-consistent, they can be liberating.

Why the Ten Commandments Still Work (Even If You’re Not Religious)

Stripped of supernatural framing, the Ten Commandments function as a durable set of verbal rules for organizing life in a cooperative society. They specify behavioral boundaries and reinforce prosocial patterns, such as honesty, fidelity, fairness, and respect.

You don’t have to believe in a higher power to see their utility. You just have to care about how we treat each other and recognize that living with integrity often requires guidance. After all, we evolved to go after instant gratification to help us survive, but functional societies are more likely to serve more people in a healthier manner when there are rules encouraging not going after immediate gratification.

In a noisy, comparison-driven culture flooded with digital distractions and impulsive reinforcement schedules, these ancient “contingency specifying stimuli” offer clarity and guidance.

Functionally Interpreting the Ten Commandments

Here’s a non-religious, contextual behavioral science-informed, functional interpretation of each commandment, using the King James Version to evoke the English-language historical tone:

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me: Focus. Anchor your life in core values, not the relentless pursuit of status, materialism, or endless shimmering distractions. This commandment promotes psychological coherence and frames meaning, prosocial viewpoints, and the worthy experience of delaying gratification as more important than your own self-interest and immediate gratification.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image: Don’t fuse with symbols or rigid ideas. In CBS terms, hold concepts lightly—don’t confuse the map for the territory. Today, even smartphones can become a kind of Golden Calf: always in hand, promising connection, but often pulling us away from presence and purpose.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain: Be mindful with language. Words shape experience. Whether sacred or secular, this is about speaking with integrity and respect.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: Rest. Recovery is essential. In a burnout culture, taking a mindful pause is a radical act of self-regulation.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother: Foster intergenerational respect. Even in imperfect families, acknowledging your origins can support empathy and psychological flexibility.
6. Thou shalt not kill: The most fundamental prosocial boundary—don’t cause irreversible harm. This protects trust and safety.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery: Keep your commitments, especially in intimate relationships. Betrayal corrodes trust and undermines relational values.
8. Thou shalt not steal: Respect what’s earned. Theft disrupts cooperation and fairness—two pillars of social cohesion.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor: Don’t lie. Honesty sustains the social-verbal ecosystem. Deception breaks down trust and shared meaning.
10. Thou shalt not covet: Don’t let envy drive your behavior. CBS would frame this as a warning against experiential avoidance—chasing what you don’t have rather than engaging with your chosen values.

Ethics and Morality Essential Reads

The Dog-Collar Conundrum

The Psychology of Greed

Why This Perspective Matters

Many of these principles—honoring parents, avoiding harm, telling the truth—are echoed not only across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, but also in the moral frameworks upheld by humanists, ethical atheists, and natural scientists who study prosocial behavior. While the language and context may differ, the underlying values of compassion, fairness, and accountability are aligned across cultures, philosophies, and worldviews.

These commandments aren’t just about obedience. They’re about stability, trust, focus, and commitment. They reduce harm and promote cooperation, guiding us toward what I like to call a life well lived (Moran & Ming, 2023).

In a world full of broken promises, algorithmic chaos, and endless mental noise, maybe these ancient verbal rules deserve another look... not with blind reverence, but with behavioral curiosity.

Even a natural scientist can say Amen to that.