Why We Are Still Not Acting to Save the World: the Upward Challenge of a Post-Skinnerian Behavior Science

Abstract

Basic research on derived stimulus relations reveals many effects that may be useful in understanding and resolving significant and complex societal problems. Applied research on derived stimulus relations has done little to fulfill this promise, focusing instead mainly on simple demonstrations of well-known phenomena. We trace the research tradition of derived stimulus relations from laboratory to wide-scale implementation, and put forward several suggestions for how to progress effective and impactful research on derived relational responding to issues of immense social importance. To advance a science of behavior from relative social obscurity to the developing world-saving technologies, we must evaluate our own behavior as scientists in the grander social context. Keywords Stimulusrelations. Relational frame theory. Verbal behavior. Social behavior Skinner (e.g., 1953), among his many contributions to the field of behavior science, put forward the position that those who engage in a science of behavior have not only the potential to save the world, but also an obligation to do so. With the publication of Science and Human Behavior (1953), Skinner espoused a technology for predicting and

Can Behavior Analysis Help Us Understand and Reduce Racism? A review of the Current Literature

“…Though it might take time and joint efforts by behavior-analytic, mindfulness, and ACTr researchers, the reduction of racism, bias, and prejudice is a worthy aim. Evidence is growing that derived relational technology, including mindfulness and ACTr interventions, may lead us to ideas for effective interventions (Critchfield et al, 2018;Dixon et al, 2018;Levin et al, 2016;Lillis & Hayes, 2007;Miller, Cruz, & Ala'i-Rosales, 2019;Todd et al, 2011). What more can behavior analysis do to create meaningful, lasting change on a larger scale?…”

“…Racism inhibits economic development, hinders academic achievement, and causes mental health problems such as depression and anxiety (Cohen, Garcia, Apfel, & Master, 2006). Behavior analysis, rooted in radical behaviorism, seeks to understand the complexities of human behavior, including social issues such as racism and prejudice (Dixon, Belisle, Rehfeldt, & Root, 2018). Unfortunately, little behavior-analytic research has focused on the topics of racism and prejudice 1 (Arhin & Thyer, 2004;Briggs & Paulson, 1996).…”

Rethinking motivating operations: A reply to commentaries on Edwards, Lotfizadeh, and Poling (2019)

“…Not only do rules of this sort fail to qualify as CMO‐Ts, but the CMO (or CMO‐T) label brings us no closer to understanding the effects of rules than the description provided by Schlinger, who conceptualizes rules as function‐altering, contingency‐specifying stimuli (see also Schlinger & Blakely, ). Pointing out that one such function‐altering effect appears to satisfy the definition of the MO may be helpful, but to enhance our understanding of the effects of rules, we need to delve into relevant research on stimulus equivalence, derived relational responding, associative learning, and other related fields of inquiry (for additional discussion see Dixon, Belisle, Rehfeldt, & Root, ; Palmer, ).…”

Editorial: Emerging Cultural and Behavioral Systems Science

“…He elaborated on these ideas in several subsequent, nonfictional works (e.g., Skinner 1953Skinner , 1971Skinner , 1974Skinner , 1981Skinner , 1987. These works provided the conceptual and theoretical bases for many behavior scientists to begin to consider the evolution of cultures and the selection of cultural practices (e.g., Baum 2005;Couto and Sandaker 2016;Glenn 2004;Houmanfar et al 2010;Malott and Glenn 2006) and to actively challenge behavior scientists to work toward mitigating some of the world's most pressing challenges (e.g., Biglan 2015Biglan , 2016Biglan and Embry 2013;Dixon et al 2018;Mattaini and Aspholm 2016;Wilson et al 2014).Cultural and behavioral systems science brings together a broad range of behavior scientists with different influences, specializations, and focus areas from within and outside of behavior science. Two fairly well-known examples of such work include Brethower's (1972) Total Performance System and Glenn's (1986) conceptualization of the metacontingency (see also Glenn et al 2016 for the most recently agreed upon terms and definitions).…”

“…Even if substantial work has been done in cultural and behavioral systems science, our understanding of practices within and/or interactions between or among dynamic systems, let alone our influence on changing ineffective practices, leaves much to be determined as is evidenced by a number of other recent calls for action (e.g., Biglan 2015Biglan , 2016Biglan and Embry 2013;Dixon et al 2018;Mattaini and Aspholm 2016;Wilson et al 2014).…”