DATA FROM FIVE AREAS OF BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH WHICH HAVE RELEVANCE TO THE TEACHING OF READING ARE REVIEWED IN AN EFFORT TO INDICATE HOW THIS RELATIVELY NEW TYPE OF RESEARCH (1) APPLIES BASIC SCIENTIFIC TECHNIQUES TO PRACTICAL LEARNING SITUATIONS, (2) HELPS BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN LEARNING THEORY AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS, (3) REPRESENTS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY ATTACK ON EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS, AND (4) ENCOMPASSES THE ESSENTIAL TASK OF EDUCATORS, BEHAVIORAL CHANGE. THE FINDINGS FROM 21 RESEARCH STUDIES AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR READING ARE REPORTED FOR THE FOLLOWING TOPICS--(1) ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF SUBVOCAL MECHANISM AND MENTAL OR BRAIN NEURAL ACTIVITY WHICH IS NOT VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE (EMPHASIS ON SILENT SPEECH AND NEURAL RESPONSE), (2) THE APPLICATION OF OPERANT CONDITIONING AND REINFORCEMENT PRINCIPLES TO THE READING BEHAVIORS OF INDIVIDUALS, (3) THE BEHAVIOR OF THE EYES DURING READING, (4) PAIRED-ASSOCIATE LEARNING SITUATIONS (VERBAL ASSOCIATIONS IN THE READING PROCESS), AND (5) THE EFFECT OF DRUGS ON MENTAL BEHAVIORS, AND READING AND RELATED BEHAVIORS. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIORISM AND NEOBEHAVIORISM IS GIVEN. REFERENCES ARE GIVEN. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND COURSE ON READING (22D, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, JULY 5-15, 1966), AND PUBLISHED IN A REPORT OF THAT MEETING, "PROGRESS AND PROMISE IN READING INSTRUCTION," BY THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA 15213. (LS)