Goals of Science and Philosophical Assumptions in Applied Behavior Analysis
The key factor that differentiates applied behavior analysis from other approaches in psychology is its grounding in natural science and evidence-based practice. For this discussion, please review the assigned readings in this unit.
Please respond to the following:
- How does the approach of science differ from other approaches to gathering information about the world?
- Describe the goals of science (description, prediction, and control) that are the foundation for a scientific approach in ABA.
- Describe the philosophical assumptions or "attitudes" of science and explain why these are important as a foundation for applied behavior analysis.
- Recall your reading of the article "Practical Components for Getting the Most From a Token Economy" (Ackerman et al., 2020), and discuss whether and how the research supports the goals of science, the philosophical assumptions of science, and the seven dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Be sure to provide specific examples from the article to support your discussion.
Review two of your classmates' responses, using the following ideas as a guide and asking follow-up questions that promote further analysis and development:
- Provide feedback on whether the discussion clearly differentiate between applied behavior analysis and other approaches to understanding behavior.
- Are the most important defining characteristics of applied behavior analysis as a science described?
- Evaluate whether the scientific and philosophical groundings of the article are supported by unit readings? Reply to Scott Wall: Five facets of ABA distinguish this discipline from other information-gathering practices worldwide. In their article, Wayne et al. (2021) outline these five differences, such as, unlike psychology as an information-gathering practice, ABA focuses on behavior for data rather than internal processes that are difficult to measure. Additionally, overt behavior and internal processes have continuity, ie we can infer internal processes from the functions of overt behavior. Furthermore, ABA is a natural science, so rather than environmental control, we instead study how environments induce behavior. Finally, ABA prioritizes anticipating and controlling an individual over analyzing large groups. On the other hand, different fields explain behavior as a product of previous developmental stages (psychoanalytic or humanistic), whereas ABA focuses on the environment. The three goals of ABA, which are the guiding principles for the field's scientific approach, are description, prediction, and control. First, description are methodical observations which researchers can organize and quantify. Second, prediction is when two events are highly likely to co-occur but do not directly cause one another. For example, looming thunderstorm clouds that can rain here or move fast enough, their impact isn't seen in this environment. Finally, control refers to experimental control that modifying one event directly causes another event. The six philosophic attitudes are as follows: parsimony, determinism, experimentation, empiricism, reliability, and philosophic doubt (Wayne et al., 2021). First, parsimony is the agreement that in the face of multiple, valid explanations for phenomena, we accept the simplest explanation. Second, determinism asserts that all events have an antecedent that is observable. Third, experimentation is the systematic modification of independent variables to measure their influence on dependent variables so we can analyze the relationship between the two. Then, empiricism is the idea that scientific knowledge by necessity is thoroughly tested and replicated, that is, observable and quantifiable. Next, reliability is increased when experimental procedures return similar results across experimenters. Finally, philosophic doubt asserts that scientific knowledge is never complete and should always remain amendable for future knowledge. Overall, these six attitudes of science further ABA's credibility as a field because they ensure a scientific minimum that is difficult to obtain in the natural environment. For example, experimentation, empiricism, and replication focus on the quality of observable and measurable phenomena. While the remaining attitudes ensure we prioritize the most straightforward explanation, while leaving room for new, future information. Yes, this article supports the above attitudes, goals, and the seven dimensions of ABA. First, Ackerman et al., (2020) asserts that addressing the six attitudes is essential to developing an effective token economy. Additionally, this article supports the three philosophical assumptions in the field. First, a description is necessary to tailor the token economy to the individual. Second, prediction is supported by the idea that token economies should encourage individuals to interact with the economy without mandating it. At my clinic, there are several clients who dissent from token boards despite using similar procedures to teach the idea behind the economy. So, token boards can increase desired behaviors but it is not experimentally controlled by one. Control is exemplified in token economies by encouraging less desirable behavior through the manipulated presence of primary and backup reinforcers. For example, the client does not want to enter the room to sit for a token board until the token board is presented as an SD (shows that the backup reinforcer is available in this room). Finally, this article supports the seven dimensions of ABA because token economies themselves embody several of the dimensions. For example, "The goal is to eventually fade the use of backup reinforcers" (Ackerman et al., 2020). Since the goal is to master the behavior without a backup reinforcer, token economies support efficiency, generality, and behavior. It also supports technological and conceptually systematic through how easily replicable the targets must be since multiple techs will run the same program. ReferencesAckerman, K. B., Samudre, M., & Allday, R. A. (2020). Practical Components for Getting the Most from a Token Economy. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 52(4), 242–249. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059919892022Wayne W. Fisher, Cathleen C. Piazza, & Henry S. Roane. (2021). Handbook of Applied Behavior Analysis. The Guilford Press. Reply to Carley Galloway: The applied behavior analysis approach differs from others by examining what a person does, with a focus on the principles of stimulus control. ABA seeks to understand the relationship between antecedent and consequence and concerns itself with behaviors that have a meaningful impact on people’s lives. When discussing the goals of science, description is important to ABA because its process includes observing, recording, and summarizing behaviors as they occur. Prediction is important to science because it enables the identification of relationships between events and their replication. Control demonstrates manipulating the independent variable and producing a change in the dependent variable.Parsimony for the analyst relies on “explanations that are simple” and “based on previously established basic principles of behavior” (Fisher et al., 2021 P. 10). Also, caregivers are more likely to welcome simple and effective intervention. Philosophical doubt requires analysts to “continually question the truthfulness of what is regarded as fact” (Cooper et al., 2007, P. 6) even when there is a consistent relationship factor between the independent and dependent variables (Fisher et al., 2021, P.10). Analysts should “maintain the attitude of empiricism, which is the practice of making objective scientific decisions based on factual data regarding interventions, research, and theory development (Fisher et al., 2021, P. 9). The attitudes of reliability and experimentation are important in finding a relationship between antecedent and consequence and at multiple levels. Finally, determinism is the attitude that “there is always a reason why an individual or organism emits a behavior (Fisher et al., 2021, P. 8). After perusing through Ackerman et al. (2020), I conclude that research does in fact support the goals and philosophical assumptions of science and the seven dimensions. Ackerman addresses the significance of reflecting on all six components, which are crucial for creating an effective token economy. Thus, stressing the seven dimensions is imperative to behavioral intervention and replicable behavior change. References:Wayne W. Fisher, Cathleen C. Piazza, & Henry S. Roane. (2021). Handbook of Applied Behavior Analysis. The Guilford Press.Ackerman, K. B., Samudre, M., & Allday, R. A. (2020). Practical Components for Getting the Most from a Token Economy. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 52(4), 242–249. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059919892022Cooper et al., 2020. Applied Behavior Analysis. 3rd Edition. Pearson.