Re: BAO and Behavior Analsis as a "Cult"

And of course I agree completely.

Joe

On Fri, 19 Apr 2002, Michael Weinberg wrote:

> With regard to the issue of Behavior Analysis becoming its own separate profession -
> I can say that here in Florida that is not even a question but a reality. The fact is
> that the profession of Applied Behavior Analysis has been separated from psychology
> in state law by the state legislature some years ago due to the lobbying efforts of
> FABA, which need to continue for ABA to enjoy such autonomy as a profession.  It has
> resulted in independent training programs at universities and by private parties who
> are CBAs to flourish. An excellent example is that since coming to Florida from
> Pennsylvania, I have become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and now teach my own
> class sponsored by my agency, and that is approved through our own behavior analyst
> mechanisms (Mike Hemingway has such authority for state of Florida certification
> programs in behavior analysis, and now the Board under Jerry Shook has such
> authority).  Florida has a well-organized peer review process for the approval and
> review of restrictive behavior programs, and state laws governing best practices in
> the field of behavior analysis.  Only CBAs with extended priviliges or with board
> certification have authority to author and monitor behavior plans that involve
> restrictive interventions, and/or address particularly dangerous types of behavior
> such as self-injury or aggression, and to vote on the peer review panels to approve
> such plans for other agencies.  FABA hosts a well-organized and well-attended
> conference on behavior analysis each year with presentations by leaders in the field
> nationally attending and presenting (e.g. Jack Michael, Murray Sidman, the late Glen
> Latham, and so on).
>
> I think this is an attestation to the role behavior analysts can have in society.  It
> could risk becoming cult-like, but we need to also monitor ourselves to prevent this
> from happening. Behavior analysts are also diverse in their backgrounds as I believe
> Joe is alluding to in his statements. This will allow for opportunities to learn from
> one another through forums such as BAO.
>
> Mike
>
> > Subject: Re: VIP & BAO.ORG
> > Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 00:37:37 -0400
> > From: Joseph Cautilli <[email protected]>
> > Reply-To: "Behavior2000: Behavior and Digital Technology List"
> >      <[email protected]>
> > To: [email protected]
> >
> > Bill Verplank asks two critical questions about BAO (1) Are we making
> > Behavior analysis a cult? (2) Are we only talking to ourselves?
> >
> > The question of cult status is an important one. BAO is the publisher of
> > the Behavior Analyst Today (BAT). BAT has always published thoughtful
> > critiques of Behavior Analysis. For example Steven Hayes wrote an article
> > some issue back warning behavior analyst's of the exact things that
> > Verplank points out. In addition, the most recent issue of BAT publishes
> > the strongest critique of behavior analyst of exaggerated claims for
> > children with autism (check out hte article by James Herbert). Thus, I
> > believe that we print both sides of the issues. We are committed to
> > science, not and I repeat not religon. We will publish, even Bill critique
> > if you can find the energy to write it up. ( I have been very concerned
> > about you being on a venterator for the last year, so I mean energy
> > sincerly- we may not always agree but my concern for you is real). Do I
> > believe that Behavior analysis has reached hte point where it will become
> > its own profession. To this I say yes. Will it replace all other
> > professions, never nor would I want it too. BAO is just a recognition
> > thatthe field of behavior analysis has moved into becoming an alternative
> > to psychology for those seekign behavior change. Will we be superior,
> > probably in many areas. Still in others we might not be and we should be
> > humble about this and acknowledge this.
> >
> > Are we only speaking to ourselves? I teach in a teacher education masters
> > program. I serve as an appleate due process officer in teh state of
> > Pennsylvania. I am also Director of Clinical Team services in a local
> > mental health clinic and run an extensive community based service program,
> > many of the people who work in the program are not, nor probably will
> > never be behaviorists. Thus, the vast majority of my day is spent talking
> > to educators and clinicians not to convert them but to apply sklills to
> > practical problmes which I help them solve. Is BAO only speaking to
> > itself? BA is the offical website of the Behavior Analysis SIG at the
> > Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy (a SIG I founded and
> > continue to serve as president). AABT is a largely cogntive organization.
> > Cogntivists have and will continue to write articles for BAT in areas
> > where the editoral staff feels grounds for integration are possible. Check
> > out the next four issues Spanning the next year and you will find that
> > many of the front running clinicans in the field of anxiety disorders,
> > post traumatic stress disorder, and depression will be writing articles
> > for BAT. A second group that BAT serves are those in the Clnical Behavior
> > Analysis SIG at ABA. This SIG is far from opposed to alternative
> > traditions. We have published a series of articles from this group
> > covering everything from pain to disociative identity disorder. we have
> > another series of articles coming up from this group critiquing there own
> > approach to therapy and looking at the growing pains for Clinical Behavior
> > Analysis. Another area where BAT vertures to encourage discussion is in
> > its soon to come Sunday lecture Series. The Sunday Lecture Series (SLS)
> > will be provided by the Walker institute group and will provide ACT 48
> > continuing education credits to teachers in Pennsylvania. SLS plans to
> > provide 3 hour workshops every Sunday morning in the up coming year. These
> > workshops will cover things like functional behavioral assessment, direct
> > instruction, classroom mangament, curriculum based measurement, curriculum
> > based assessment, etc.
> >
> > I offer the above as only a brief example of why I must respectfully
> > reject your statements about BAO. I do understand your decision not to
> > join Neitche and become a VIP to the BAO site.While your decision saddens
> > me personally, I wish you the best ( I hope that we will be having this
> > discussion ten years from now- at which time I will probably be saying
> > "see I told you so!;-)"). Remember the invitation is always an open one.
> >
> > Joe
> >
> > P.S. As a side note, while not an easy decision for me, I support the
> > Edison take over. Edison has supported Direct Instruction curriculums in
> > the past. In addition, I support Temple's new role. While I am not at this
> > point personally involved at this point, I believe that this will put alot
> > of new ideas into the system and alot of old issues might be settled.
> >
> > P.P.S. BAO is all the behavior analysis, with none of the things that you
> > hate like beggin' spam.
> >
> > On Thu, 18 Apr 2002, William S. Verplanck wrote:
> >
> > > (1)     Sorry, Joe, under no circumstances would I participate in this
> > > program.  It's no more, and no less, one more step in the direction of the
> > > development of behavior analysis, and especially 'applied' behavior
> > > analysts, into a cult.
> > >
> > > To quote myself:
> > >
> > > "We're great at explaining ourselves to ourselves and at neglecting to note
> > > that there are many others with whom we should converse, to whom we may
> > > contribute, from whom we might learn, and with whom we may
> > > accommodate.  Behavior analysis must _not_ become a cult."
> > >
> > > There is already far too much evidence that the process of cult-formation
> > > is already too far advanced*
> > >
> > > Today's NYT reports that 42 (1 out of every 6) of Philadelphia's schools
> > > (most failing victims of educationalism?) are being privatized, most of
> > > them contracted out to the "Edison" people, five to Temple University,
> > > three to the Univ. of Pa, and the remaining fourteen to four other bodies,
> > > with a variety of methodologies.  Do any of these apply the methodologies
> > > of applied behavior analysis?  Will the able behavior analysts (both exptal
> > > and applied) at Temple participate?  If not, why not?  How many such
> > > schools and charter schools have behavior analysts set up, worked in _or_ with?
> > >
> > > Are we talking only to ourselves, and not to parents, school boards, review
> > > boards, and those politically responsible for education?
> > >
> > > Shouldn't behavior analysts be out there running schools and teaching, by
> > > example?  (Whatever became of Don Cooke's very beh. an. endeavors?)
> > >
> > > (2)     I'd like to believe that I'm totally out of the loop, laboring
> > > under a great misapprehension, and that the foregoing is altogether
> > > wrong-headed.  Then, there's another reason I can't participate in
> > > Nietsche.  I'm 86 and live on the end of a fifty or sixty foot oxygen
> > > tube.  Emphysema precludes long-term commitments--of which I already have
> > > too many!
> > >
> > > W.S.V.
> > >
> > > P.S.  I note that the record of Edison's schools is lousy.  Should behavior
> > > analysts try to teach _them_ something?
> > >
> > > W.S.V.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _____________________________________________
> > >     William S. Verplanck          [email protected]
> > >   An award-winning site: http://web.utk.edu/~wverplan/
> > >     http://web.utk.edu/~wverplan/kantor/kantor.html
> > > _____________________________________________
> > >
>