Conferences
ABAI has conducted a number of events (seminars, conferences, conference tracks) that include content relevant to culturo-behavioral sciences.
Behavior Change for a Sustainable World Conference (2012)
ABAI hosted the Behavior Change for a Sustainable World Conference on August 3–5, 2012, at the Ohio Union at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Organized by William Heward, the conference brought together leaders in behavior analysis and environmental science to focus on climate change. Presentations were thematically focused on the need for human behavior to change in order to meaningfully address climate change. The conference was attended by 184 people. An article about the conference was published in Inside Behavior Analysis and is available here. More information about the program is available here.
Leadership and Cultural Change Seminar (2014)
The Seminar on Leadership and Cultural Change was chaired by Ramona Houmanfar, Mark Alavosius, and Timothy Ludwig. It was organized by ABAI. It was conducted in conjunction with ABAI’s annual convention in Chicago, Illinois. 124 participants attended the seminar. The seminar included three modules: Module 1 (Organizations/Private Sector), Module 2 (Education), and Module 3 (Field of Behavior Analysis). Papers presented at the seminar were published in special issues of the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management and Behavior Analysis in Practice (then called The Behavior Analyst). More information is available here.
Culturo-Behavior Science for a Better World (2020)
Culturo-Behavior Science for a Better World showcased the increasing interest in culturo-behavior science. It was organized by ABAI and conducted online. It was co-chaired by Mark Mattaini and Maria Malott. Nearly 400 participants attended the conference. The program included a variety of culturally relevant topics, such as climate change, social justice, public health, science policy in education, and poverty. 90 posters showcased current research and projects by behavioral scientists addressing cultural issues. The content of the 2020 ABAI conference captured current approaches of behavior analysts to the study of cultural matters. Ten articles were published in BSI with content from this conference. You can find articles based on the presentations at the conference here.
Perspectives on Behavioral Complexity (2024)
Perspectives on Behavioral Complexity was a theory and philosophy conference organized by ABAI and chaired by Carol Pilgrim and Timothy Hackenberg. It was held on October 28-29, 2024, at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, and was attended by 204 individuals. The conference centered on approaching complexity, and its goal was to capture ways in which basic behavioral principles can build and provide for understanding of cultural phenomena. Four clusters focused on these topics: Evolution and Neuroscience; Modeling and Artificial Intelligence; Verbal Behavior and Social Cognition; and Systems and Culture. Conference presentations were published in a special issue of Perspectives on Behavior Science, available here.
ABAI Convention and Conference Program Areas
Content relevant to CBS is included in the ABAI annual convention and international conferences. Relevant panels, symposia, papers, posters, and workshops are held within the following program areas:
Community, Social, and Sustainability Issues (CSS)This program area includes conceptual analyses, empirical research, and service-delivery projects related to larger-scale community, sociocultural, and sustainability issues, including work supporting social and environmental justice.
Organizational and Behavioral Systems Analysis (OBM)This program area includes theory, research, and practice related to organizational management and behavior systems analysis. This area includes large-scale systemic analyses and change.
Philosophical, Conceptual, and Historical Issues (PCH)This program area includes topics on the foundations—past, present, and future—of behavior analysis as a system, science, and practice, as well as comparisons and contrasts with the natural and historical sciences and humanities.