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How to Think Like a Behavior Analyst: Understanding the Science That Can Change Your Life
How to Think Like a Behavior Analyst is a revolutionary resource for understanding complex human behavior and making potentially significant quality of life improvements. Behavior analysts offer a worldview of the human condition different than almost any other professional perspective. To a behavior analyst, human behavior is largely learned and subject to change if the right variables are put into play. This is an empowering outlook, providing an opportunity for individuals to analyze the actions of those around them and an understanding of why others exhibit such behavior.
Practical, clear, and direct, this book addresses basic questions such as how behavior analysis is different from psychotherapy, what analysis involves, and the meaning of evidence-based treatment. A chapter on Applications presents tips on using behavioral procedures to improve lives and deal with others, and articulates how behavioral procedures are used in community settings. In question and answer format, the text thoroughly covers 50 frequently asked questions about behavior analysis in an educational and entertaining manner. It was developed out of questions raised by students in behavior analysis classes over the last 35 years, as well as questions raised by consumers of behavior analysis services.
This text is written for all professionals concerned with behavior, including undergraduate students in psychology and behavior analysis, parents, teachers, employers, and employees. The book can easily be used as a supplement to primary texts in introductory psychology courses, and the exercises that follow each question can be used to stimulate lively discussion in role-play and other active learning situations.
Practical, clear, and direct, this book addresses basic questions such as how behavior analysis is different from psychotherapy, what analysis involves, and the meaning of evidence-based treatment. A chapter on Applications presents tips on using behavioral procedures to improve lives and deal with others, and articulates how behavioral procedures are used in community settings. In question and answer format, the text thoroughly covers 50 frequently asked questions about behavior analysis in an educational and entertaining manner. It was developed out of questions raised by students in behavior analysis classes over the last 35 years, as well as questions raised by consumers of behavior analysis services.
This text is written for all professionals concerned with behavior, including undergraduate students in psychology and behavior analysis, parents, teachers, employers, and employees. The book can easily be used as a supplement to primary texts in introductory psychology courses, and the exercises that follow each question can be used to stimulate lively discussion in role-play and other active learning situations.
201 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2006
34 people are currently reading
342 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 20, 2012
"But Kaitlynn, you already know how to think like a behavior analyst!"
I picked up this book because I 1) Admire Jon Bailey and the work he's done to promote the field, and 2) to find out how a more experienced BCBA responds to questions we commonly get from clients and caregivers.
Gotta say, this book nailed it. All of the questions were common and the answers accurate and concise without using difficult terminology. I'll definitely be stealing some of his examples in the future. The organization of the book and how it is written makes it a lot more approachable for use by families curious about ABA services.
The last sections cover how to get into an ABA program and what to expect, as well as pop culture or philosophical questions. In particular I liked how he handled determinism vs. free will. That is a hard topic for a BCBA to discuss with a non-BCBA without putting them off.
The very final question was how to deal with the people that, upon learning you are a behavior analyst, reply with "Are you analyzing my behavior right now?" I laughed out loud at this questions inclusion and appreciated how it was handled, with several suggestions for humorous replies and an admonition that questions like that, even joking, set us up to represent our science and our field.
At the end of each question is a list of terms whose purpose I couldn't figure out. Am I supposed to use them in Google searches? Look them up? Check them off as mastered? These were followed by exercises. Many of these were great: Search online, read an article, observe behavior, try reinforcement. Many of them included looking up professionals in the community and scheduling time to chat with them, and that seemed like a very hit-or-miss approach that, at worst, might be extremely expensive. I would have liked to see more book and article recommendations, for those who want to learn more but do not want to get into an ABA program.
TL;DR: This short and to-the-point book by a major behavior analyst has excellent answers to common questions on ABA, a valuable resource for laymen and professionals alike.
I picked up this book because I 1) Admire Jon Bailey and the work he's done to promote the field, and 2) to find out how a more experienced BCBA responds to questions we commonly get from clients and caregivers.
Gotta say, this book nailed it. All of the questions were common and the answers accurate and concise without using difficult terminology. I'll definitely be stealing some of his examples in the future. The organization of the book and how it is written makes it a lot more approachable for use by families curious about ABA services.
The last sections cover how to get into an ABA program and what to expect, as well as pop culture or philosophical questions. In particular I liked how he handled determinism vs. free will. That is a hard topic for a BCBA to discuss with a non-BCBA without putting them off.
The very final question was how to deal with the people that, upon learning you are a behavior analyst, reply with "Are you analyzing my behavior right now?" I laughed out loud at this questions inclusion and appreciated how it was handled, with several suggestions for humorous replies and an admonition that questions like that, even joking, set us up to represent our science and our field.
At the end of each question is a list of terms whose purpose I couldn't figure out. Am I supposed to use them in Google searches? Look them up? Check them off as mastered? These were followed by exercises. Many of these were great: Search online, read an article, observe behavior, try reinforcement. Many of them included looking up professionals in the community and scheduling time to chat with them, and that seemed like a very hit-or-miss approach that, at worst, might be extremely expensive. I would have liked to see more book and article recommendations, for those who want to learn more but do not want to get into an ABA program.
TL;DR: This short and to-the-point book by a major behavior analyst has excellent answers to common questions on ABA, a valuable resource for laymen and professionals alike.
January 25, 2014
Love behavior analysis, but wasn't impressed with this book. It's easy to read and doesn't add much for someone who knows a lot about the field. I thought it made behavior analysis sound way to pretentious in order for it to be a good book to recommend to parents of clients. The only people I would recommend this book too is students who are curious about the field and deciding on their course of study.
July 9, 2018
Good book to use for trainings. Good questions with everyday examples. Great dissemination of behavior analytic principles.
December 14, 2023
Un libro muy muy introductorio, pero correcto, sobre análisis de conducta, su aplicación, y una última parte que sólo es relevante para currar de esto en EEUU, no tiene nada que ver con lo que hacemos aquí.
Es una buena primera aproximación al tema.
Es una buena primera aproximación al tema.
October 14, 2013
I am assigning this book to my students at Kenyon Canine Institute. It talks about behavior analysis with human populations but is also the basis of modern animal training. This book is accessible for the undergrad and I will use it alongside Cooper, Heron & Heward and Sidman.
July 25, 2023
This book makes behavior analysts look like a bunch of pompous freaks who think they know better than anyone. Why is this book even warranted? Dr. Bailey and Burch should stick to the ethics book and let this one die.
February 9, 2020
Opened my eyes to the alternatives to counseling. If you’re uncertain of how to raise your child or improve the the habits of your spouse, coworkers, or friends it’s worth the easy read.
August 24, 2012
A great basic book to either show students in the field about how to properly explain their jobs to parents and teachers they encounter, or a way to simply explain to anyone the basics of ABA and the responsibilities of BCBA's to their clients and the scientific field as a whole.
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May 28, 2014This is a great introductory book with several good resources on which to follow up. I made tons of tabs to reference back. Unlike text books, this book introduced a few key terms in ABA and explained them in a reader-friendly language.
March 20, 2018
I think this is mis-titled. It will certainly tell you what Behavior Analysts do and more or less how they do it. I found it somewhat repetitious, condescending and preachy, and didn't really see it leading to understanding how to think like a behavior analyst. I couldn't finish it.
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November 1, 2008Excellent book! I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about this field but would like to get pass all the jargon and lingo of the field
August 25, 2018
What a refreshing breath of fresh air!
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January 2, 2021Assigned reading for graduate school. Pretty well-organized
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews