Association for Behavior Analysis International

In many cultures, and especially the United States of America, there are ways in which the general public and law enforcement differentially interact with each other. This interaction, by definition, involves a complex set of antecedents, behavior, and consequences. Understanding complex human behavior in terms of interlocking behavioral contingencies involves operant behavior analysis. However, to fully understand the conditioned physiological responses as well as the operant behavior that is involved, a comprehensive model should also include respondent conditioning. In this poster, we propose a conceptual model of how these types of conditioning intersect with the interactions between law enforcement and people of color and how that intersection affects both parties. Specifically, the model describes the interlocking metacontingencies and macro-contingencies, which assist in describing and explaining these functional relationships. According to this model, there are implications for all stakeholders to benefit from receiving behavioral skills training to partake in interactions that are less frightening and reactive. In addition, several recommendations are given for reinforcing de-escalation tactics and promoting more positive interactions.

From a Skinnerian perspective, translation is a “special intraverbal behavior in which stimuli and responses are in different languages” (Skinner, 1957, p. 77). In defining translation as a “special” type of intraverbal, Skinner’s analysis was focused on the behavior of the speaker. While Skinner recognized the role of the listener in some circumstances (e.g., what it means to say that a listener “understands” an instance of verbal behavior), this is not described in detail in his analysis of translation. This poster aims to analyze translation in terms of the behavior of both speakers and listeners, with special attention to the issue of meaning and how this is determined by context. Skinner's analysis of a verbal episode in terms of speaker’s and listener’s roles will be reviewed, and his account of translation will be examined in this light. A distinction between a) acts of translation as a “speaker” and b) responding to the stimulus products of acts of translation as a “listener” will be drawn and analyzed. In both cases, the importance of context will be considered. Implications for conceptual and applied issues will be discussed.