Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Advancing Research and Practice in Culturo-Behavior Science: A Call to Action

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Behavior and Social Issues Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Many current and aspiring behavior scientists have expressed uncertainty and interest regarding how to get more involved in Culturo-Behavior Science (CBS). The focus of this editorial is to provide readers of Behavior and Social Issues (BSI) with some tangible ways to get engaged in CBS research and practice. The recommendations focus on how to shift the behaviors and practices in which students, researchers, professors, and practitioners of behavior science typically engage, both individually and collectively, in ways that facilitate the creation of integrated and adaptive systems that can advance research and practice in CBS while acting systematically to strengthen our scientific, disciplinary, practice, and communities to promote social justice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

Notes

  1. https://www.springer.com/journal/42822.

  2. There are many challenges for behavior scientists striving to work in new or diverse areas such as those related to addressing significant social issues. Often working in areas less commonly populated by behavior analysts requires credentialing in different areas such as teacher certification, Six Sigma Certification, advanced degrees in public health or public administration. The salaries may be less desirable than those available for BCBAs in working with autistic individuals. Cihon (2023a) addresses some of these issues in a chapter entitled Expanding, describing ways in which one might cultivate opportunities to work in diverse areas as well as how one might overcome some of the challenges related to doing so; this could also be a helpful resource for those considering such a transition or trajectory.

  3. Both the “positive” and the “aversive” consequences are important; however, this analysis will maintain a focus on the positive consequences.

  4. https://bfsr.abainternational.org/the-matrix-project/.

  5. It is important to note that this analysis is intentionally generic in an effort to best capture the usual activities of the majority of the readers. For those readers who would like to further refine or contextualize this analysis to relate to your specific environmental conditions, please feel free to email me at tcihon@gmail.com for support in doing so.

  6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-contextual-behavioral-science.

  7. https://ctb.ku.edu/en.

  8. https://wethryve.ctb.ku.edu/.

  9. Contact the Ontario BFSR SIG to get involved in monthly meetings to discuss Cihon and Mattaini (2020).

References

  • Alavosius, M. P., Gelino, B. W. & Pietras, C. J. (Eds.). (2022). Behavior and Cultural Systems Analysis for climate change [Special section]. Behavior and Social Issues, 31, 366–521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-022-00113-2

  • Alavosius, M. P., Gelino, B. W., & Rakos, R. F. (2022). Culturo-behavior science practicum: Analyses and intervention in multi-level contexts. Behavior and Social Issues, 31, 327–342. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-022-00099-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amorim, V., Tourinho, E. Z., & Cihon, T. M. (2022). Brazilian public policies for assistance to women in situations of violence: Contributions from Culturo-Behavioral Science. Behavior and Social Issues, 31, 23–53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-022-00095-1

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ardila-Sanchez, J. G., & Hayes, L. J. (2023). On the role of philosophical assumptions in conceptual analysis: A reply to Sampaio and Haydu (2023). Behavior and Social Issues, 32, 134–140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-023-00128-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aspholm, R. R., & Mattaini, M. A. (2017). Youth activism as violence prevention. In P. Sturmey (Ed.), The Wiley handbook of violence and aggression (pp. 1–12). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119057574.whbva104

  • Baia, F. H., & Sampaio, A. A. S. (2019). Distinguishing units of analysis, procedures, and processes in cultural selection: Notes on metacontingency terminology. Behavior and Social Issues, 28(1), 204–220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-019-00017-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baum, F., MacDougall, C., & Smith, D. (2006). Participatory action research. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 60(10), 854–857. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2004.028662

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Biglan, A. (1995). Changing cultural practices: A contextualist framework for interventionresearch. Context Press.

  • Cihon, T. M. (2023a). Expanding. In R. A. Rehfeldt, T. M. Cihon, & E. Rasmussen (Eds). Women in Behavior Science – Observations on Life Inside and Outside of the Academy (pp. 287–305). Association for Behavior Analysis International book series: Behavior Science: Theory, Research, and Practice. Routledge

  • Cihon, T. M. (2023b). BSI in 2023: The spring issue and beyond. Behavior and Social Issues, 32, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-023-00133-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cihon, T. M. (2022). Editorial: Expanding our scientific lens in the search for humility and advancing a Culturo-Behavior Systems Science. Behavior and Social Issues, 31, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-022-00112-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cihon, T. M., Becker, A., Ortu, D., & Glenn, S. S. (2020). Multiple perspectives on establishing aresearch lab for culturo-behavior science. In T. M. Cihon & M. A. Mattaini (Eds.), Behavior science perspectives on culture and community (pp. 93–117). Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Cihon, T. M., Borba, A., Lopez, C., Kazaoka, K., & Carvahlo, L. (2020). Experimental analysis in culturo-behavior science: The search for basic processes. In T. M. Cihon & M. A. Mattaini (Eds.), Behavior science perspectives on culture and community (pp. 119–150). Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Cihon, T. M., Borba, A., Benvenuti, M., & Sandaker, I. (2021). Research and training in Culturo-Behavior Science. Behavior and Social Issues, 30, 237–275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-021-00076-w

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Cihon, T. M., & Kazaoka, K. (2021). A cultural behavioral systems science perspective on the struggle for social justice. In J. Sadavoy & M. Zube (Eds.), Compassion and social justice in applied behaviour analysis: A collection of essays (pp. 100–106). Informa UK Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cihon, T. M., & Mattaini, M. A. (Eds.). (2020). Behavior science perspectives on culture and community. Springer.

  • Cole, J. (2019). It’s not regular. Role Model Publishing LLC.

  • Cole, J. (2020). What’s something simple I can do that’ll have a positive impact on my block? Role Model Publishing LLC

  • Couto, K. C., & Sandaker, I. (2016). Natural, behavioral and cultural selection-analysis: An integrative approach. Behavior and Social Issues, 25, 54–60. https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v25i0.6891

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cran, S., Cihon, T. M., de Borba, A., Kazaoka, K., & Smith, M. (2023). A pilot study exploring practices that support the longevity of community gardens supported by religious organizations. Behavior and Social Issues, 32, 51–87. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-023-00124-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elwood, C. (2022). Exploring the effects of cultural consequences identified through a ranking task on the interlocking behavioral contingencies of ethically self-controlled responses with participants with pre-existing relationships. [Unpublished master's thesis]. University of North Texas.

  • Gilbert, T. F. (1978). Human competence: Engineering worth performance. Pfeiffer.

  • Glenn, S. S. (2004). Individual behavior, culture, and social change. The Behavior Analyst, 27(2), 133–151. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03393175

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Glenn, S. S., Malott, M. E., Andery Benvenuti, M., Houmanfar, R., Sandaker, I., Todorov, J. C., Tourinho, E. Z., & Vasconcelos, L. (2016). Toward consistent terminology in a behaviorist approach to cultural analysis. Behavior and Social Issues, 25, 11–27. https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v25i0.6634

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houmanfar, R. A., Ardila-Sánchez, J. G., & Alavosius, M. P. (2020). Role of cultural milieu in cultural change: Mediating factor in points of contact. In T. M. Cihon & M. A. Mattaini (Eds.), Behavior science perspectives on culture and community (pp. 151–170). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45421-0_7

  • Houmanfar, R.A., Fryling, M., & Alavosius, M.P. (Eds.). (2021). Applied behavior science in organizations: Consilience of historical and emerging trends in Organizational Behavior Management (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003198949

  • Houmanfar, R. A., & Mattaini, M. A. (Eds.) (2017). Leadership and cultural change: Managing future well-being. Routledge.

  • Houmanfar, R. A., Rodrigues, N. J., & Ward, T. A. (2010). Emergence & metacontingency: Points of contact and departure. Behavior and Social Issues, 19, 78–103. https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v19i0.3065

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, C. S. (2012). Analyzing behavioral and cultural selection contingencies. Revista Latinoamericana de Psicologia, 44(1), 43–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kazaoka, K. (2023). An analysis of dependent contingencies in a triadic interaction using an exchange task to understand dynamic concurrent contingencies under independent and reciprocal conditions. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of North Texas.

  • Krispin, J. V. (2017). Positive feedback loops of metacontingencies: A new conceptualization of cultural-level selection. Behavior and Social Issues, 26, 95–110. https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v.26i0.7397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krispin, J. (2019). Culturo-behavioral hypercycles and the metacontingency: Incorporating self-organizing dynamics into an expanded model of cultural change. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 42(4), 869–887. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-019-00212-3

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lamal, P. A. (Ed.). (1991). Behavioral analysis of societies and cultural practices. Hemisphere Publishing.

  • Lamal, P. A. (Ed.). (1997). Cultural contingencies: Behavior analytic perspectives on cultural practices. Praeger.

  • Lewin, K. (1943). Defining the “field at a given time.” Psychological Review, 50(3), 292–310. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0062738

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science: Selected theoretical papers (Edited by D. Cartwright). Harper & Brothers

  • Lopez, C., Cihon, T. M., Borba, A., & Becker, A. (2022). An exploration of cooperation duringan asymmetric iterated prisoner’s dilemma game. Behavior and Social Issues, 31, 106–132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-021-00086-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luke, M. M., Roose, K. M., Rakos, R. F., & Mattaini, M. A. (2017). The history and current status of Behavior and Social Issues: 1978–2016. Behavior and Social Issues, 26, 111–127. https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v26i0.7728

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacAskill, W. (2022). What we owe the future. Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malott, M. E. (2003). Paradox of organizational change: Engineering organizations with behavioral systems analysis. Context Press.

  • Malott, M. E. (2016). What studying leadership can teach us about the science of behavior. The Behavior Analyst, 39(1), 47–74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-015-0049-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mattaini, M. A. (2013). Strategic nonviolent power: The science of Satyagraha. Athabasca University Press.

  • Mattaini, M. A. (2019). Out of the lab: Shaping an ecological and constructional cultural systems science. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 42(4), 713–731. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-019-00208-

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mattaini, M. A. (2020). Cultural systems analysis: An emerging science. In T. M. Cihon & M. A. Mattaini (Eds.), Behavior science perspectives on culture and community (pp. 43–65). Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Mattaini, M. A., Roose, K. M., & Fawcett, S. B. (2022). Behavioral interventions contributing to reducing poverty and inequities. Behavior and Social Issues, 28, 16–36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-022-00114-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mobus, G. E. (2022). Systems Science: Theory, analysis, modeling, and design. Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mobus, G. E., & Kalton, M. C. (2015). Principles of systems science. Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, E. K., & Midgley, B. N. (1990). Some historical and conceptual foundations of ecobehavioral analysis. In S. R. Schroeder (Ed.), Ecobehavioral analysis and developmental disabilities: Disorders of human learning, behavior, and communication (pp. 1–32). Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neef, N. A., & Peterson, S. M. (2003). Developmental disabilities: Scientific inquiry and interactions in behavior analysis. In K. Lattal & P. N. Chase (Eds.), Behavior theory and philosophy (pp. 369–389). Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Neves, A. B. V. S., & Cihon, T. M. (2023). Análise funcional culturo-comportamental: Diretrizespara incluir fenômenos comportamentais e culturais na clínica analítico comportamental [Culturo-behavioral functional analysis: Guidelines for including behavioral and cultural phenomena in the behavior analytic clinical setting]. Revista Perspectivas em Análise do Comportamento, 14(2), 103–121. https://doi.org/10.18761/vecc0122023.

  • Neves, A. B. V. S., Amorim, V. C., Borba, A., de Souza, F., de Silveira, J. M., Passos, J. A. F., Nicoldi, L, & Cihon, T. M. (2023). Manifesto por uma prática clínica socialmente comprometida nas ciências do comportamento [Manifesto for socially engaged clinical practice in the behavioral sciences]. Revista Perspectivas em Análise do Comportamento, 14(2), 53–58. https://doi.org/10.18761/vecc117122022

  • Nietzel, M. T., Winett, R. A., MacDonald, M., & Davidson, W. (1977). Behavioral approaches to community psychology. Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rakos, R. F., Watson-Thompson, J., & Anderson-Carpenter, K. (2022). An editorial on revitalizing behavioral community psychology: Where are we going now? Behavior and Social Issues, 31, 190–193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-022-00111-4

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers-Warren, A., & Warren, S. F. (1976). Ecological perspectives in behavior analysis. University Park Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampaio, A. A. S., & Haydu, V. B. (2023a). Cultural milieu and group-rules in an elaborated account of metacontingencies: Conceptual analysis and an illustration in a COVID-19 psychological support project. Behavior and Social Issues, 32, 115–133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-023-00126-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampaio, A. A. S., & Haydu, V. B. (2023b). Metacontingency terminology, philosophical assumptions, and the scientific dialogue: A response to Ardila-Sanchez and Hayes (2023). Behavior and Social Issues, 32, 141–146. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-023-00131-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seniuk, H. A., Cihon, T. M., Benson, M., & Luke, M. (2019). Making a footprint in environmental sustainability: A behavioral systems approach to engaging behavior analysts. Perspectives in Behavior Science (Special Section), 42(4), 911–926. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-019-00233-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, G. (2005). Waging nonviolent struggle: 20th century practice and 21st century potential. Extending Horizons Books.

  • Sharp, G. (2012). From dictatorship to democracy: A conceptual framework for liberation. Serpent’s Tail.

  • da Silveira, J. M. (Ed.) (2023). Volume especial clínica e cultura [special volume clinic and culture]. [Special Issue]. Perspectivas em Analise do Comportameto, 14(2).

  • Skinner, B. F. (1948). Walden two. Prentice Hall.

  • Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F. (1981). Selection by consequences. Science, 213, 501–504. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7244649

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Special Section: Advancing Cultural Analytic Science (2006). Behavior and Social Issues, 15, 5–100. https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v15i1.384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vichi, C., Andery, M. A. P. A., & Glenn, S. S. (2009). A metacontingency experiment: The effects of contingent consequences on patterns of interlocking contingencies of reinforcement. Behavior and Social Issues, 18, 41–57. https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v18i1.2292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson-Thompson, J., Hassaballa, R. H., Valentini, S. H., Schulz, J. A., Kadavasal, P. V., Harsin, J. D., Thompson, V. M., Hassaballa, I. H., Esiaka, C. E., & Thompson, E. C. (2022). Actively addressing systemic racism using a behavioral community approach. Behavior and Social Issues, 31, 297–326. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-022-00101-6

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Watson-Thomposn, J., Jessop, N., Hassaballa, I., Vanchy, P., Henderson, J., & Moore, C. (2020). Together helping reduce youth violence for equity (ThrYve): Examining the development of a comprehensive multisectoral approach to youth violence prevention. American Journal of Community Psychology, 66(3–4), 244–255. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson-Thompson, J., Rakos, R. F., & Anderson-Carpenter, K. (2021). An editorial onrevitalizing behavioral community psychology: Where do we go from here? Behavior and Social Issues, 30, 514–524. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-021-00080-0

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zilio, D. (2019). On the function of science: An overview of 30 years of publications on metacontingency. Behavior and Social Issues, 28, 46–76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-019-00006-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zilio, D., Carrara, K., & Leite, F. L. (2022). Pragmatic reductionism: On the relation between contingency and metacontingency. Behavior and Social Issues, 31, 71–105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-022-00097-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Drs. Mark Mattaini and Rich Rakos for their thoughtful comments and feedback on this manuscript.

Author’s note

Portions of this manuscript were presented at the 2023 Texas Association for Behavior Analysis conference and at the 49th international conference for the Association for Behavior Analysis International.

Funding

This manuscript was not supported by any funding mechanism.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Behaviorists for Social Responsibility, Memphis, TN, USA

    Traci M. Cihon

Authors
  1. Traci M. Cihon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Traci M. Cihon.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The author declares that they do not have any conflict of interest. Traci Cihon does serve as the current Editor-in-Chief for Behavior and Social Issues; therefore, Rich Rakos served as the Consulting Editor for this manuscript.

Ethical approval

No studies involving human participants were conducted to prepare this manuscript.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cihon, T.M. Advancing Research and Practice in Culturo-Behavior Science: A Call to Action. Behav. Soc. Iss. 32, 339–359 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-023-00146-1

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-023-00146-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation