{"title":"Citing the Literature.","authors":"Rachel H Thompson","doi":"10.1007/s40614-025-00490-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-025-00490-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Meticulous literature citation is a cornerstone of science, yet citations in published articles mischaracterize the cited work with concerning frequency. There appears to be limited emphasis on citation practices in graduate research training. This tutorial emphasizes the scientific importance of careful citation and the potential costs of careless citation practices. Recommendations are aimed at promoting citations that clearly and accurately represent the cited work. This article provides a resource to encourage more careful citation with the goal of bringing the behavior of scientists under tighter control of the literature and promoting dissemination of work that connects the reader with a systematic body of knowledge.</p>","PeriodicalId":44993,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives on Behavior Science","volume":"49 2","pages":"385-392"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13230425/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148164500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Mediational Theory of Verbal Relations.","authors":"Henry D Schlinger, Elbert Blakely","doi":"10.1007/s40614-025-00491-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-025-00491-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We previously discussed the effects of verbal stimuli, often called \"rules\" or \"instructions,\" in terms of their function-altering effects (Blakely & Schlinger <i>The Behavior Analyst</i>, 10, 183-187, 1987; Schlinger & Blakely <i>The Behavior Analyst</i>, 10, 41-45, 1987). In the current article, we present a mechanism of action for these effects that involves mediating behaviors and only appeals to basic principles of behavior. A mediational theory holds that the key elements of responding effectively to verbal stimuli rely on behavior that occurs at the moment, or just after, a verbal stimulus occurs. Such behavior includes echoic behavior, as well as tacts and intraverbals, and even visual or auditory imagining. These behaviors are automatically reinforced, and in some cases reinforced by the speaker. The reinforcement of these behaviors produces new relations and stimulus functions. In research and clinical practice, these new relations and stimulus functions are said to \"emerge\" or be \"derived\" without direct training. According to a mediational theory, however, the relations are directly trained, although the training is not explicit. Thus, in a sense, listeners learn to react to what they see and hear, and as a result, can effectively behave to the events indicated by the verbal stimulus. A mediational theory of verbal relations not only explains verbal relations parsimoniously but has predictive utility.</p>","PeriodicalId":44993,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives on Behavior Science","volume":"49 2","pages":"333-360"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13230475/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148165075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correction: International Development of Applied Behavior Analysis as a Profession.","authors":"Michael M Mueller","doi":"10.1007/s40614-025-00488-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-025-00488-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s40614-025-00463-3.].</p>","PeriodicalId":44993,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives on Behavior Science","volume":"49 2","pages":"415"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13230455/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148164457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Relational Databases for Behavior Science.","authors":"Paul L Soto","doi":"10.1007/s40614-025-00486-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40614-025-00486-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Data collection and analysis are central to scientific research, including in applied and basic behavior analysis. A substantial amount of attention has been given to how to rigorously collect and analyze data. Less attention has been paid to storing and maintaining research data, which becomes a critical step in the data analysis pipeline as the complexity and amount of data increase. Relational databases provide an efficient, reliable, and flexible method to store, maintain, and explore behavioral research data. The current article argues for the utility of relational databases in behavioral research, presents a brief introduction to relational databases, and uses some real-world examples to illustrate how relational databases have been used by the author and colleagues. Adopting relational databases to store and maintain research data would improve data integrity, facilitate data sharing between researchers, and contribute to transparency and reproducibility of analyses.</p>","PeriodicalId":44993,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives on Behavior Science","volume":"48 4","pages":"909-929"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12811190/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145999321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Teleological Properties of Operant Behavior.","authors":"Filipe Lazzeri, Diego Zilio","doi":"10.1007/s40614-025-00481-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-025-00481-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this article we investigate the teleological properties (functions and goals) of behavioral patterns, with emphasis on operant behaviors, including those associated with creativity and behavioral novelty. We integrate the etiological theory of teleology (as developed by Larry Wright, Ruth G. Millikan, James Garson, and others) with key concepts from behavior analysis. Although the language of functions and goals has traditionally faced resistance within behavior analysis, mainly due to concerns about causal confusion, we argue that such language is conceptually valuable when situated within the framework of selection by consequences. In the first part of the article, we disentangle teleological discourse from common misconceptions, particularly worries about reverse causation and the obstruction of causal explanation, drawing on insights from Larry Wright and others. In doing so, we set out what teleological concepts do not imply, while also identifying their core semantic features, such as the contrast between functions or purposes and mere accidents. In the second part, we develop an etiological interpretation of the teleological properties of behavioral patterns which, besides harmonious with the semantic core of teleological concepts, has theoretical synergies with behavior-analytic understanding of operant behavior, thus avoiding mentalistic aspects of some previous etiological readings of complex action. Our approach integrates Skinner's interpretation of selection processes with recent advancements in behavior analysis, including theories of operant generativity, behavioral variability, and relational frames. Finally, we conclude by setting our approach in contrast with two influential theories of teleology, in a way that brings into view its potential advantages.</p>","PeriodicalId":44993,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives on Behavior Science","volume":"48 4","pages":"873-895"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12811180/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145999298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
James N Meindl, Jonathan W Ivy, Diana M Delgado, Lindsey Swafford
{"title":"Towards a Functional Account of Mass-Shooting: Prediction and Influence of Violent Behavior.","authors":"James N Meindl, Jonathan W Ivy, Diana M Delgado, Lindsey Swafford","doi":"10.1007/s40614-025-00483-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40614-025-00483-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mass shootings affect both local and national communities and prompt extensive efforts to understand and prevent future events. Current approaches typically focus on profiling and typologizing mass shooters. Although these efforts are useful towards prediction of mass shootings, they do not tell us how to directly influence a shooter's behavior. Thus, our understanding of mass shootings remains incomplete. Given that behavior analysis is a systematic natural science approach to understanding all behavior, we believe it is poised to address this issue. This article focuses on fame-seeking shooters, which are a subset of all mass shooters. We first describe important behavior patterns and contextual events that have been associated with this subset. We propose that these behaviors are members of a larger response class which includes a mass shooting. We then provide a conceptualization of the selection process involved in the emergence of mass shooting behavior and its precursors. We close by describing several interventions aimed at disrupting the contingencies identified by the conceptual analysis. The goal of this article is to illustrate how behavior analysis may utilize and extend the currently existing and predominantly non behavior-analytic research (e.g., profiling and typologizing based on the form of behavior) to better enable the prediction and influence of mass shootings.</p>","PeriodicalId":44993,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives on Behavior Science","volume":"48 4","pages":"849-872"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12811219/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145999309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dermot Barnes-Holmes, Linda J Hayes, Colin Harte, Mitch Fryling
{"title":"Reconstructing RFT through the Lens of the Interbehavioral Field: What is a Relational Frame Anyway?","authors":"Dermot Barnes-Holmes, Linda J Hayes, Colin Harte, Mitch Fryling","doi":"10.1007/s40614-025-00485-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40614-025-00485-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The recent resurgence of Kantorian interbehavioral psychology in the context of relational frame theory (RFT) has prompted a reevaluation of RFT's core concepts through an interbehavioral lens. Although RFT acknowledges its Kantorian roots, recent works have called for a more serious consideration of interbehaviorism in the context of developing the theory towards a more complete analysis of the complexity of human language and cognition. In particular, the current article aims to explore the alignment between the RFT concept of the relational frame and the interbehavioral interpretation of psychological happenings. To this end, the relational frame is dissected to clarify (mentalistic) misconceptions of RFT, and is then compared with interbehavioral constructs such as stimulus and response functions, substitute stimulation, and interbehavioral history. The integration of these perspectives suggests that RFT may benefit from a field-based approach to experimental and applied research. We argue that by applying the interbehavioral concept of stimulus substitution for stimuli that differ arbitrarily in multiple ways (i.e., multiple stimulus relations), the door may be opened for the entire RFT research program to yield (at least potentially) to interbehavioral field-based analyses.</p>","PeriodicalId":44993,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives on Behavior Science","volume":"49 1","pages":"75-98"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13013888/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147522062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Verbal Frontiers: Combining Words in the Wild, Computational Modeling, and Behavior Analysis to Explore Verbal Communities.","authors":"David J Cox","doi":"10.1007/s40614-025-00484-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40614-025-00484-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Significant advancements in science occur when previously unobservable or immeasurable things critical to theory become observable and measurable. The \"verbal community\" is a case in point; it plays a critical role in the analysis of verbal behavior, but has primarily been described theoretically, as observing, measuring, or directly analyzing verbal communities has historically been difficult. In this article, we review recent technological advances in data collection and computational modeling that allow researchers to directly observe and measure verbal communities in real-time as they evolve. Because data are often collected at the individual level, researchers can directly observe, measure, and model the influence of a verbal community on the behavior of individual speakers and listeners. This approach is demonstrated through two examples in which two distinct verbal communities were directly observed, measured, described, and modeled. In doing so, previously vague theoretical descriptions and novel, nuanced questions about verbal communities and their influence on the behavior of speakers and listeners can be addressed and answered with empirical data. It should be noted that the approaches discussed herein rely on structural analyses of textual stimuli. Though uncommon in behavior analysis, future research demonstrating how integrating structural and functional approaches to the analysis of verbal behavior may lead to novel advances in our understanding of verbal behavior.</p><p><strong>Supplementary information: </strong>The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40614-025-00484-y.</p>","PeriodicalId":44993,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives on Behavior Science","volume":"49 1","pages":"201-232"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13013928/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147522258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Call for Standards: Identifying Demographic and Methodological Variables in Infant Behavior-Analytic Research.","authors":"Jennifer L Bruzek, Benjamin N Witts","doi":"10.1007/s40614-025-00479-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-025-00479-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A recent call has been made for a unified and detailed approach to demographic and methodological reporting in research with young children (Singh et al., <i>Developmental Psychology, 60</i>(2), 211-227, 2024). This need is especially relevant for infant research, because infants experience rapid developmental changes, cannot provide consent, and rely entirely on caregivers to meet their needs. Yet, although reporting practices in behavior-analytic studies have been reviewed more broadly, infant-focused behavioral studies have not been examined systematically. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review following the <i>Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses</i> (PRISMA) guidelines (Page et al., <i>BMJ, 372, n71</i>, 2021). We then used the guidelines described by Singh and colleagues to extract data on participant demographics (e.g., age, sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, language exposure, household composition) and methodological variables (e.g., selection criteria, recruitment, incentives, consent, ethics approval) from behavior-analytic studies conducted with infants aged 0-12 months. We found that demographic and methodological reporting varied from 100% (age) to 0% (birthplace). Given that infant-focused research is an expanding subdomain in behavior analysis, this is an appropriate time to establish clear reporting standards. We suggest that standardized reporting is necessary to ensure that infant research is not only representative but also appropriately replicable across relevant populations to provide accurate information for practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":44993,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives on Behavior Science","volume":"48 4","pages":"689-710"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12811183/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145999183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Scoping Review of Cultural Variables in Contingency Management for Substance Use Disorder.","authors":"Hailey E Donohue, Brynn A Foster, Jesse Dallery","doi":"10.1007/s40614-025-00480-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-025-00480-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Researchers and practitioners have been urged to embrace cultural responsiveness to better design, implement, and evaluate treatment. We conducted a scoping review of the inclusion of cultural variables in the context of contingency management (CM) for the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). We included articles that contained a discussion of at least one cultural variable in the context of CM related to SUD (e.g., race, ethnicity, age, generation, education, socioeconomic status, religion or spiritual beliefs, language, nationality, geographic location, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation). Results suggest that CM may be equally efficacious across sociodemographic categories, and racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities. However, few studies have examined other outcomes as a function of cultural variables, such as uptake, acceptability, adherence, and retention. Few studies have explicitly tailored CM based on cultural variables or compared tailored and nontailored versions of CM. Thus, more work is needed to understand whether and how cultural variables should be considered in contingency management for substance use disorder.</p>","PeriodicalId":44993,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives on Behavior Science","volume":"48 4","pages":"731-758"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12811200/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145999267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}