This paper attempts to clarify some of the misunderstandings which have arisen in relation to a behavior analysis of child development. Five frequent criticisms of the approach are discussed. The first concerns the confusion of behavior analysis with learning theories. Although many of the concepts of behavior analysis arose from learning theories, behavior analysis is considered a self-contained system of behavior. The second criticism concerns the lack of theoretical explanations for research results. The paper contends that behavior analysis, as a system, necessitates reliance on only observable, as opposed to hypothetical, interactions. The third criticism, concerning the passivity of the organism in this approach, is rejected on the grounds that behavior analysis conceptualizes the individual as being in constant interaction with his environment. The fourth criticism states that complex interactions cannot be analyzed through behavior analysis. It is suggested that behavior analysis is a relatively recent approach which is rapidly moving toward a rigorous analysis of complex interactions. The paper also rejects the fifth criticism which suggests that the application of the approach to child rearing, therapy or education may be harmful to the child. The discussion of this criticism centers on the misunderstanding of various details of the approach. (BD)