Contributions of Behavioral Systems Science to Leadership for a New Progressive Movement

Abstract

We argue in this paper that we are in the midst of a period in which fundamental global change will be required if societies and many species, perhaps even our own, are to survive. The realities are inescapable, and the potential implications are likely to affect nearly every dimension of human life in the USA and globally. Current trends are discouraging and will be extraordinarily difficult to shift, given global structural realities. It is hard to imagine a time when effective leadership is more necessary or will be more challenging. Our thesis here is that behavioral systems science can contribute in meaningful ways to shaping and sustaining such leadership, leadership required to advance a new progressive movement.Keywords Behavioral systems science . New progressive movement . Cultural analysis Bonly the construction of another society based on total human development can politically and humanly emancipate men and women … and eradicate poverty and inequality^(Ana Elizabete Mota 1 ) Despite unprecedented advances in medicine, technology, transportation, and other facets of society, extreme human suffering persists across the globe, and the inevitability of human progress has been exposed as a myth of modernity (Touraine 1995). Indeed, we BEHAV ANALYST (2016) 39:109-121

Behaviorism and Society

“…So, shall we keep limping along with a brilliant model for changing behavior, but having so limited a range of practical uses, or shall we insert ourselves in more complex environments, perhaps such as those suggested by Mattaini and Aspholm (2015) and begin to provide a more solid record of both achievement on behalf of clients and a broadened understanding of our model? It is this author's conviction that, if the effort is forthcoming, good results will follow.…”

Organized Cooperation: a Behavioral Perspective on Volunteerism

“…By employing the work of BSA, it may be possible to arrange the environment in ways that guide positive cultural change more swiftly. One way to arrange the environment to promote positive social change is to create advocacy groups that Mattaini (2015) suggests be, "grounded in behavioral systems science committed to the intentional construction, shaping, and maintenance of behavioral systems dynamics" (p.9).…”

Editorial: Emerging Cultural and Behavioral Systems Science

“…He elaborated on these ideas in several subsequent, nonfictional works (e.g., Skinner 1953Skinner , 1971Skinner , 1974Skinner , 1981Skinner , 1987. These works provided the conceptual and theoretical bases for many behavior scientists to begin to consider the evolution of cultures and the selection of cultural practices (e.g., Baum 2005;Couto and Sandaker 2016;Glenn 2004;Houmanfar et al 2010;Malott and Glenn 2006) and to actively challenge behavior scientists to work toward mitigating some of the world's most pressing challenges (e.g., Biglan 2015Biglan , 2016Biglan and Embry 2013;Dixon et al 2018;Mattaini and Aspholm 2016;Wilson et al 2014).Cultural and behavioral systems science brings together a broad range of behavior scientists with different influences, specializations, and focus areas from within and outside of behavior science. Two fairly well-known examples of such work include Brethower's (1972) Total Performance System and Glenn's (1986) conceptualization of the metacontingency (see also Glenn et al 2016 for the most recently agreed upon terms and definitions).…”

“…Even if substantial work has been done in cultural and behavioral systems science, our understanding of practices within and/or interactions between or among dynamic systems, let alone our influence on changing ineffective practices, leaves much to be determined as is evidenced by a number of other recent calls for action (e.g., Biglan 2015Biglan , 2016Biglan and Embry 2013;Dixon et al 2018;Mattaini and Aspholm 2016;Wilson et al 2014).…”