How Can We Increase the Impact of Behavior Analysis in Solving Problems in New Areas?
Ron Van Houten
Behavior analysis is a powerful tool that could ameliorate many of society’s problems. One of the first problems that was seriously addressed with a behavior analytic approach was the treatment of autism. Although a behavioral approach yielded promising results from the start, it took many years before the behavioral approach was accepted as the treatment of choice for autism. Although promising data have also been obtained from applications of behavioral technology to many other social problems, these applications have not yet been widely accepted or disseminated. Skinner envisioned behavior analysis as a technology that would address a wide variety of societal challenges. Initially behavior analysts were highly enthusiastic about society adopting our approach in areas such as education, but many people already working in these fields were resistant to a behavioral approach. This presentation examines a number of areas where behavior analysis could make a difference, and explore ways to overcome obstacles and accelerate the acceptance of our approach.
Presented at the 2016 Michigan Autism Conference
Dr. Van Houten received his BA from SUNY at Stony Brook and his MA and Ph.D. from Dalhousie University where he received training in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. He is currently Professor of Psychology at Western Michigan University. Dr. Van Houten has published extensively in JABA on a wide variety of problems, ranging from the education of inner city youth and children with “learning disabilities”, the treatment of children and adults with developmental delays, the treatment of clinical problems in children, traffic safety, energy conservation, and aviation safety. Currently Dr. Van Houten is a member of the Transportation Research Board and a member of the National Committee for Uniform Traffic Control Devices. He is a past AE for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and a Fellow of the ABAI. In 2013 he received the Waller Award from the National Academy of Science and in 2015 he received the Award for Scientific Translation Impact of Science on Application from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis. Dr. Van Houten is also an avid pilot flying power aircraft and gliders and a flight instructor.
