Abstract
Behavior-analytic research is often viewed along a basic-applied continuum of research goals and methods. The applied portion of this continuum has evolved in ways that combine applied research and service delivery. Although these two facets of applied behavior analysis should be closely related, more clearly distinguishing between them, particularly in how we conceptualize and conduct applied research, may enhance the continuing development of each. This differentiation may improve the recruitment and training of graduate students.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, C. K., Hall, D. C., Pennypacker, H. S., Goldstein, M. K., Hench, L. L., Madden, M. C., Stein, G. H., & Catania, A. C. (1976). Lump detection in simulated human breasts. Perception and Psychophysics, 20, 163–167.
Baer, D. M. (1977). Perhaps it would be better not to know everything. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10, 167–172.
Baer, D. M. (1981). A flight of behavior analysis. The Behavior Analyst, 4, 85–91.
Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. R. (1968). Some current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1, 91–97.
Barlow, D. H., Hayes, S. C., & Nelson, R. O. (1984). The scientist practitioner: Research and accountability in clinical and educational settings. New York: Pergamon.
Birnbrauer, J. S. (1979). Applied behavior analysis, service, and the acquisition of knowledge. The Behavior Analyst, 2, 15–21.
Bloom, H. S., Criswell, E. L., Pennypacker, H. S., Catania, A. C., & Adams, C. A. (1982). Major stimulus dimensions determining detection of simulated breast lesions. Perception and Psychophysics, 32, 251–260.
Buskist, W. F., & Miller, H. L. (1982). The analysis of human operant behavior: A brief census of the literature, 1958–1981. The Behavior Analyst, 5, 137–141.
Cherek, D. R. (1995). Brief reflections and predictions regarding the experimental analysis of human social behavior. Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Bulletin, 13, 14–15.
Deitz, S. M. (1982). Applied behavior analysis: An historical analogy. The Behavior Analyst, 5, 53–64.
Hake, D. F., & Olivera, D. (1978). Cooperation, competition, and related social phenomena. In A. C. Catania & T. A. Brigham (Eds.), Handbook of applied behavior analysis: Social and instructional processes. New York: Irvington.
Hayes, S. C., Rincover, A., & Solnick, J. V. (1980). The technical drift of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 13, 275–285.
Huitema, B. E. (1986). Auto correlation in behavioral research. In A. Poling & R. W. Fuqua (Eds.), Research methods in applied behavior analysis. New York: Plenum.
Hyten, C., & Reilly, M. P. (1992). The renaissance of the experimental analysis of human behavior. The Behavior Analyst, 15, 109–114.
Johnston, J. M. (1983). EAHB special interest group: A brief history. Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Bulletin, 1, 1.
Johnston, J. M. (1993a, May). Baer, Wolf, and Risley revisited: A new definition of applied behavior analysis. Paper presented at the meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago.
Johnston, J. M. (1993b, May). Basic and applied research: Bifurcation or continuum. In J. Greenspoon (Chair), Integrating applied, basic, and conceptual work in behavior analysis. Symposium conducted at the meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Chicago.
Johnston, J. M. (1993c). A model for developing and evaluating behavioral technology. In R. Van Houten & S. Axelrod (Eds.), Effective behavioral treatment: Issues and implementation (pp. 323–343). New York: Plenum.
Johnston, J. M., & Pennypacker, H. S. (1993). Strategies and tactics of behavioral research. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Kelly, M. B. (1977). A review of the observational data collection and reliability procedures reported in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10, 97–101.
Krasner, L., & Ullman, L. P. (1965). Research in behavior modification. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
Malott, R. W. (1992). Should we train applied behavior analysts to be researchers? Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 83–88.
Michael, J. L. (1980). Flight from behavior analysis. The Behavior Analyst, 3, 1–21.
Neuringer, C., & Michael, J. L. (1970). Behavior modification in clinical psychology. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Parsonson, B. S., & Baer, D. M. (1986). The graphic analysis of data. In A. Poling & R. W. Fuqua (Eds.), Research methods in applied behavior analysis. New York: Plenum.
Pennypacker, H. S. (1981). On behavioral analysis. The Behavior Analyst, 4, 159–161.
Pennypacker, H. S., & Iwata, M. M. (1990). Mamma Care: A case history in behavioral medicine. In D. E. Blackman & H. Lejeune (Eds.), Behaviour analysis in theory and practice: Contributions and controversies (pp. 259–288). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Perone, M. (1985a). On the impact of human operant research: Asymmetrical patterns of cross-citation between human and nonhuman research. The Behavior Analyst, 8, 185–189.
Perone, M. (1985b). What happened to analysis in applied behavior analysis? The Behavior Analyst, 3, 19.
Poling, A., Picker, M., Gossett, D., Hall-Johnson, E., & Holbrook, M. (1981). The schism between experimental and applied behavior analysis: Is it real and who cares? The Behavior Analyst, 4, 93–102.
Powell, J., Martindale, A., & Kulp, S. (1975). An evaluation of time-sample measures of behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 8, 463–469.
Powell, J., & Rockinson, R. (1978). On the inability of interval time sampling to reflect frequency of occurrence data. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 11, 531–532.
Repp, A. C., Roberts, D. M., Slack, D. J., Repp, A. F., & Berkler, M. S. (1976). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 9, 501–508.
Schmitt, D. R. (1995). The experimental study of social behavior: The past and the future. Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Bulletin, 13, 8–11.
Sherburne, T. R., & Buskist, W. (1995). Taking stock of the experimental analysis of human social behavior. Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Bulletin, 13, 5–7.
Sidman, M. (1994). Equivalence relations and behavior: A research story. Boston: Authors Cooperative.
Ullman, L. P., & Krasner, L. (1965). Case studies in behavior modification. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
Ulrich, R., Stachnik, T., & Mabry, J. (1966). Control of human behavior, Vol. 1. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman, and Co.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Johnston, J.M. Distinguishing Between Applied Research and Practice. BEHAV ANALYST 19, 35–47 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392737
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392737