Inside Behavior Analysis
Volume 1 | 2009 | Number 1
Dissemination of Behavior Analysis
By Josh Pritchard
In its first year of existence, the Dissemination SIG has developed an active listserv and a Web site, responded to multiple misrepresentations of behavior analysis, and has collaborated with various other SIGS and task forces. Over 40 different articles relevant to behavior on Wikipedia were monitored and updated throughout the year as well. All in all, the SIG appears to be exhibiting healthy growth and benefitting from support of many members of our field. It is, of course, looking to always increase its active membership, and has been responsive to suggestions, requests, and recommendations for activities.
For the ABAI convention the DBA SIG organized a twitter feed in which members of the DBA and behavior analysts alike could utilize a code (#ABAIPHX) in Twitters and anyone that wanted up-to-date news on conference events could subscribe to a feed and follow this with ease. It was a successful idea that will be replicated for future conferences. The DBA Twitter Username ended with 23 different followers, and there were a myriad of posts with the ABAIPHX hashtag. For more information, anyone can visit: http://www.aboutbehavior.com/twitter
In addition, a DBA member created a blog and the DBA provided a group of bloggers that provided summaries of some events they attended at ABAI.
The DBA has also continued to add to its website and hope to see a complete revamp of the site in the upcoming year to include a much more user-friendly interface that attracts internet browsers.
Membership has grown steadily and at the time this article was written, the count has reached 104 members! We have members from various nations as well as professions.
At the annual business meeting this year, the group had become large and active enough that it was felt that formal structure should be created, so a bylaw committee was created, a draft written, and membership feedback provided via the website. Currently, the bylaws are being voted on to put in place.
Future directions of the DBA-SIG will include a members-only website in which plans, activities, and shared resources for dissemination will be housed. A dynamic listing of conferences and events at which DBA members can present to non-behavioral audiences to help dissemination are also being prepared and will be on the Web site. There are several interested parties who are going to be creating and uploading ‘viral-type’ videos to sites such as youtube, teachertube, and other similar venues.
The DBA membership in attendance was extremely excited at the annual business meeting, full of ideas, and the plans to fulfill them by 2010 have begun! If you feel that the science of behavior should be spread, feel free to join now!