The cognitive science of religion draws upon a broad range of scientific authorities, a point readily made by considering the classic research that the papers in this volume connect to the modern approach to the scientific study of religion. Within that range, it is hard to think of two researchers whose work is more dissimilar than Bronisław Malinowski and B. F. Skinner. Malinowski's anthropological work involved the long-term observation of complex human societies whereas Skinner focused on particular behaviours of individual animals. Malinowski studied people in the natural environment, Skinner relied upon tightly controlled, artificial conditions. Malinowski described his conclusions in elegant prose that ventured broad theories concerning human belief-systems, Skinner eschewed belief talk and aimed for precise theories that were tied tightly to data. Given such differences, the comparison between these two scientific greats could well be used as an antidote against naive views of a monolithic scientific method. The real challenge is how to bring them together, however. This is the kind of problem that researchers engaged in the cognitive science of religion run into constantly due to the highly interdisciplinary character of this field. Looking at how the work of Skinner and Malinowski can be combined usefully provides, therefore, a worthwhile case highlighting the issues that current scientific research into religion has to ind ways of dealing with. Of course, the particular approach pursued here is specific to one researcher and would not be accepted by others in its details.