Skip to main content
Log in

Equity and Diversity in Behavior Analysis: Lessons From Skinner (1945)

  • Special Section: Diversity and Inclusion
  • Published:
Behavior Analysis in Practice Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Several authors have written about the disparity between our values statements concerning gender equity and diversity and the behavior of our professional organizations. In this article, I argue that this is a predictable by-product of our collective cultural learning histories, that we have access to the variables that must be manipulated to alter this behavioral trajectory, and that now is the time to apply the principles of behavior toward changing our current repertoire. As a case in point, I provide evidence regarding the current state of the efforts within psychology and behavior analysis to ensure gender equity, and end with a series of recommendations for institutions and individual leaders to enact toward the presumably valued outcomes of equity and, more broadly speaking, diversity.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychological Association. (2018). APA names its 2018 fellows. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2018/12/apa-fellows

  • American Psychological Association. (2019a). About APA. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/about/

  • American Psychological Association. (2019b). Impact: APA and APA Services, Inc. strategic plan. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/about/apa/strategic-plan/impact-apa-strategic-plan.pdf

  • American Psychological Association. (2019c). Women’s Programs Office. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/women/

  • American Psychological Association, Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs. (2014). 2014 annual report, APA Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/pi/oema/committee/annual-report-2014.pdf

  • American Psychological Association, Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. (2018). 2018 annual report of the Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/committee/annual-report-2018

  • American Psychological Association, Committee on Women in Psychology. (2012). Committee on Women in Psychology annual report. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/pi/women/committee/annual-report-2012.pdf

  • American Psychological Association, Committee on Women in Psychology. (2017http://www.apa.org/women/programs/gender-composition/index.aspx

  • Association for Behavior Analysis International. (2019a). ABAI fellows. Retrieved from https://www.abainternational.org/constituents/fellows/fellows-of-abai.aspx

  • Association for Behavior Analysis International. (2019b). Call for submissions.

  • Association for Behavior Analysis International. (2019c). Diversity policy. Retrieved from https://www.abainternational.org/about-us/policies-and-positions.aspx

  • Association for Behavior Analysis International. (2019d). Former presidents of ABAI. Retrieved from https://www.abainternational.org/about-us/organizational-chart/executive-council/presidents.aspx

  • Bridgman, P. W. (1927). The logic of modern physics. New York, NY: Macmillan Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 139–168. Retrieved from https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=uclf

  • Fong, E. H., & Tanaka, S. (2013). Multicultural alliance of behavior analysis standards for cultural competence in behavior analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, 8, 17–19. https://doi.org/10.1037/h100970.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glenn, S. S. (1988). Contingencies and metacontingencies: Toward a synthesis of behavior analysis and cultural materialism. The Behavior Analyst, 11, 161–179. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03392470.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, S. C., Gifford, E. V., Wilson, K. G., Barnes-Holmes, D., & Healy, O. (2001). Derived relational responding as learned behavior. In S. C. Hayes, D. Barnes-Holmes, & B. Roche (Eds.), Relational frame theory: A post-Skinnerian account of human language and cognition (pp. 21–49). New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Iwata, B. A., & Lent, C. E. (1984). Participation by women in behavior analysis: Some recent data on authorship of manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The Behavior Analyst, 7, 77–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391891.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Li, A., Curiel, H., Pritchard, J., & Poling, A. (2018). Participation of women in behavior analytic research: Some recent and relevant data. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 11, 160–164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-018-0211-6.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McSweeney, F. K., Donahue, P., & Swindell, S. (2000). Women in applied behavior analysis. The Behavior Analyst, 23, 267–277. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF3392015.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McSweeney, F. K., & Parks, C. D. (2002). Participation by women in developmental, social, cognitive, and general psychology: A context for interpreting trends in behavior analysis. The Behavior Analyst, 25, 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03392043.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McSweeney, F. K., & Swindell, S. (1998). Women in the experimental analysis of behavior. The Behavior Analyst, 21, 193–202. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391963

  • Myers, D. L. (1993). Participation by women in behavior analysis: II. 1992. The Behavior Analyst, 16, 75–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392613.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Neef, N. A. (1993). Response to Myers on participation of women in behavior analysis: Right problem, wrong source. The Behavior Analyst, 16, 357–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392645.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nosik, M. R., Luke, M. M., & Carr, J. E. (2018). Representation of women in behavior analysis: An empirical analysis. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/bar0000118

  • Odom, A. (2000). Reflections on the glass ceiling: Women in the experimental analysis of behavior. The Behavior Analyst, 23, 279–283. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03392016.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poling, A., Grossett, D., Fulton, B., Roy, S., Beechler, S., & Wittkopp, C. J. (1983). Participation by women in behavior analysis. The Behavior Analyst, 6, 145–152. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392393.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Redmon, W. K. (1989). Membership and registration data. Inside Behavior Analysis, 12, 21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rehfeldt, R. (2018). Lessons from a female academician: Some further reflections on a glass ceiling. Behavior Analysis in Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-018-0218-z

  • Scarborough, E., & Rutherford, A. (2018). Women in the American Psychological Association. In W. E. Pickren & A. Rutherford (Eds.), 125 years of the American Psychological Association (p. 321–357). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/0000050-011

  • Simon, J. L., Morris, E. K., & Smith, N. G. (2007). Trends in women’s participation at the meetings of the Association for Behavior Analysis: 1975–2005. The Behavior Analyst, 30, 181–196. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392154.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F. (1945). The operational analysis of psychological terms. Psychological Review, 52, 270–277. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0062535.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F. (1957). Verbal behavior. New York, NY: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tarbox, J. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.tarbox.1

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas G. Szabo.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Szabo, T.G. Equity and Diversity in Behavior Analysis: Lessons From Skinner (1945). Behav Analysis Practice 13, 375–386 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00414-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00414-1

Keywords

Navigation