History and Progress in Cultural and Community Science

Research and Training in Culturo-Behavior Science

“…Several behavior scientists have long considered and worked toward developing a natural science of behavior that would allow for the identification of basic concepts and principles applicable to building a better world (e.g., Chance, 2007 ; Cihon & Mattaini, 2020b ; Dixon et al, 2018 ; Leigland, 2011 ; Mattaini, 2019 ; Rumph et al, 2005 ). Skinner ( 1948a ), for example, imagined Walden Two , the design of which was grounded in an understanding of a natural science of behavior and the basic principles of behavior change.…”

“…CBS is a developing area and recently formalized specialization in behavior science that brings together principles and techniques from behavior analysis (e.g., Skinner, 1953 ), behavioral systems analysis (BSA; e.g., Brethower, 2008 ), cultural analysis (e.g., Glenn et al, 2016 ), and cultural systems analysis (Mattaini, 2020 ). Culturo-behavior scientists typically work within a selectionist and/or (ecological) systems perspective to advance our understanding of how cultural phenomena develop and change over time and how more effective cultures and systems can be designed (Cihon & Mattaini, 2019 , 2020b ). CBS is inherently interdisciplinary if not transdisciplinary, with scholars and practitioners working in applications of behavior science to cultural and community change com[ing] from numerous traditions within behavior science including behavioral community psychology, organizational behavior management (e.g., Diener et al, 2009 ), behavioral systems analysis (e.g., Houmanfar et al, 2010 ; Malott, 2003 ), and cultural analysis (e.g., Glenn, 2004 ), [who] have been influenced by a number of complementary disciplines including social work, psychology, education, biology, systems science, anthropology, and more.…”

“…CBS is inherently interdisciplinary if not transdisciplinary, with scholars and practitioners working in applications of behavior science to cultural and community change com[ing] from numerous traditions within behavior science including behavioral community psychology, organizational behavior management (e.g., Diener et al, 2009 ), behavioral systems analysis (e.g., Houmanfar et al, 2010 ; Malott, 2003 ), and cultural analysis (e.g., Glenn, 2004 ), [who] have been influenced by a number of complementary disciplines including social work, psychology, education, biology, systems science, anthropology, and more. (Cihon & Mattaini, 2020b , p. 2) …”

“…It also requires connections and collaborations within our own discipline (see Fig. 1 ) with researchers and practitioners who are “united by the philosophy of radical behaviorism and by their commitment to apply the natural science of behavior to understanding behavior in its social and cultural environments” (Cihon & Mattaini, 2020b , p. 2).

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“… Culturo-behavior science (CBS) is a developing area and recently formalized specialization in behavior science that brings together principles and techniques from behavior analysis (e.g., Skinner, 1953 ), behavioral systems analysis (e.g., Brethower, 2008 ), cultural analysis (e.g., Glenn et al, 2016 ), and cultural systems analysis (Mattaini, 2020 ). Culturo-behavior scientists typically work within a selectionist and/or (ecological) systems perspective to advance our understanding of how cultural phenomena develop and change over time and how more effective cultures and systems can be designed (Cihon & Mattaini, 2019 , 2020b ). The purpose of the current article is to describe CBS, to introduce the recently formulated Association for Behavior Analysis International verified course sequence (VCS) and certificate program in CBS, and to present different pathways to training in CBS.…”