Linking Course Content to Practice

The conference “Fifty Shades of Behavior Analysis” was nothing short of its name. The presenters at this conference reminded all of us in the field of Behavior Analysis that being a science of behavior allows us to apply our principles to many domains beyond working with individuals who have disabilities.

Applied Behavior Analysis is the application of the science of behavior to the solution of problems of social significance (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). Carr (November, 2013) reminded us that social significance is more than working with those individuals with disabilities. The principles of behavior analysis have been applied to areas involving child welfare, workplace and safety, behavioral gerontology, and one that many are familiar with, education. Many of these mentioned areas have limited experimental research but the research that does exist that demonstrates how they can benefit from using behavior principles. To examine this statement a little more, Carr conducted a study that applied standard behavior techniques to families who had a history in which child protective services were involved. By teaching these parents how to redirect their child’s behavior and provide schedules of reinforcement, the families became reunified and children remained at home. By providing reinforcement for operant behavior those behaviors are maintained and strengthened overtime (Pierce & Cheney, 2013). Teaching families what behaviors to reinforce and what behaviors to put on extinction may help address the social problem that exists within some families.

Behavior analytic principles have even been used to train exotic zoo animals. Sutherland (November, 2013) explored the work of exotic animal trainers and was able make connecti...

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...013, November). The impressive diversity of applied behavior analysis: Illustrations from the research literature. Fifty Shades of Behavior Analysis, Trumbull, CT.

Cooper, J., Heron, T., & Heward, W. (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis. Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Friman, Patrick C. (2013, November). Tell me a story: Colloquial vignettes for teaching select behavior analytic concepts to non behavior analysts. Fifty Shades of Behavior Analysis, Trumbull, CT.

Gerhardt, Peter. (2013, November). Testing the application of the functionality index with adolescents and adults with autism. Fifty Shares of Behavior Analysis, Trumbull CT,

Sutherland, Amy. (2013, November). Behavior analysis goes to the zoo. Fifty Shades of Behavior Analysis. Trumbull, CT.

Pierce, D., & Chaney, C. (2013). Behavior Analysis and Learning. New York, NY: Psychology Press.