ABA this week
11/16/25-11/22/25
Scholarly publications
Includes peer reviewed journals within and adjacent to behavior analysis
(Starred journals available to BCBAs through the BACB portal)
Behavior Analysis in Practice
11/18 Melanson, I.J., Fahmie, T.A. & Kastner, K.M. Correction: The Potential Evocative Effect of Leisure Item Omission in the Attention and Escape Conditions of a Functional Analysis. Behav Analysis Practice (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01130-4
They left out a description of one condition
Miranda, D.R.G., Meadan, H., Begeske, J. et al. Exploring Teachers’ Familiarity and Perceptions of Preference Assessments. Behav Analysis Practice (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-025-01102-8
(Open access) 7 special ed preschool teachers in Indiana were surveyed and while they agreed that preference assessments are socially valid, they didn’t know much about them or see the need for conducting them often
Behavioral Interventions *
11/17 Çakıroğlu, Orhan. 2025. “ Preservice Special Education Teachers’ Use of Behavior-Specific Praise: Effects on Middle School Students With Moderate Intellectual Disabilities,” Behavioral Interventions: e70061. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.70061
3 teachers in Turkey were trained, and given ongoing coaching & feedback, to provide behavior-specific praise, which they did
Perspectives on Behavior Science
11/20 de Méo Luiz, A.C., Tsutsumi, M.M.A. Reconceptualizing the Brain: A Behavioral-Evolutionary Review of Jasanoff’s The Biological Mind. Perspect Behav Sci (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-025-00487-9
The author summarizes the book here; the NYT on the book here
Behavior and Social Issues
11/18 Borba, A., Sampaio, A., Vasconcelos, L. et al. Guest Editorial: Reflections from the 8th Think Tank on Culturo-Behavior Science. Behav. Soc. Iss. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-025-00237-1
(Open access) An interesting summary on the work of CBS Think Tanks
11/19 Pritchett, M., Pinkelman, S.E., Ala’i-Rosales, S. et al. Behavior Analysis and Equity in Public Education: An Abolitionist Approach. Behav. Soc. Iss. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-025-00233-5
The education system does a disservice to some students; this is due to the environment -- the education system itself. The authors suggest that behaviorists acknowledge that the system should be changed, rather than the students, which has been recognized since at least 1972
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior *
11/20 Thorsteinsdottir, E. H., Petursdottir, A. I., & Steingrímsdóttir, H. S. (2025). Performance of younger and older adults on a bidirectional naming assessment. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 124(3), e70067. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70067
12 young adults (18-25) and 12 old adults (67+) were given a bidirectional naming assessment. Only 1 of the younger group showed evidence of incidental bidirectional naming, and 4 of the younger group showed evidence of incidental unidirectional naming. The authors note that the older adults presumably have developed the skill, so assessments may not be accurate
Miles, A. K., & Lattal, K. A. (2025). Resurgence, behavioral contrast, and stimuli correlated with the absence of reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 124(3), e70068. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70068
In a replication, pigeons have two levers, and when one lever undergoes extinction, a lit key on the alternative lever produces more alternative responding than a darkened key, which has implications for resurgence
Blakemore, E. T., & Morris, S. L. (2025). Testing the evolutionary theory of behavior dynamic’s predictions about choice under concurrent random-ratio schedules. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 124(3), e70065. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70065
The ETBD predicts that people will prefer the denser of two schedules when the difference in the ratio between them increases, and when the molar cost for the dense schedule decreases. In 63 undergrads performing an analogue task, the authors found this to be true, but with significant variance between subjects, which indicates that the model doesn’t perfectly capture human variance
11/21 Avellaneda, M. A., & Shahan, T. A. (2025). Further assessment of a model of changeover behavior: Implications for the matching law. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 124(3), e70064. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.70064
A model of changeover that expands the matching law
Journal of Behavioral Education Volume 34, Issue 4 (10 articles, 2 open access)
Most intriguing: Extending Token Economy Systems with the Operant Demand Framework
The authors manipulated “price” and schedules to test demand for tokens; their results mirrored basic research
Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science
11/19 A longitudinal pilot evaluation of Valued Living: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Based Digital Mental Health Intervention for Autistic Adults
(In press) 56 autistic adults took a 6-lesson digital ACT course. At a 4-week follow-up, quality of life and subjective well-being were improved, though at 10 weeks the subjective well-being measures were back to baseline
Longitudinal associations between perceived coparenting and Chinese adolescents’ wisdom: The role of peer attachment and psychological flexibility
(In press) Co-parenting increases wisdom, or something
Book publications
Textbooks, handbooks, manuals, or mass-market
Upcoming:
Digital Technologies in Behavior Science: Theoretical and Practical Applications, Crone-Todd, Hantula, Layng (Eds.) (Pre-order Feb 2026)
Promoting Language for Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Verbal Behavior Guide for Practitioners, Vladescu & Kissamore (Eds.) (Pre-order)
Navigating Ethics in Behavior Analysis: Dealing with Gray Areas, Carr (Pre-order)
AIM Navigators, Dixon (Pre-order)
Recent:
2025
Podcasts
ABA Inside Track
Episode 327 - Instructional Design for Business w/ Dr. Doug Johnson
All Things Behavior
Evidence-Based Practice in the Age of Culture Wars: Challenges for Culturally Responsive Behavior Analysis with Corina Jimenez-Gomez
Behavioral Observations
Making ABA Research Matter: Practical Dissemination Strategies for Behavior Analytic Scholars, Inside JABA 25
Blogs
Generally these are produced by professionals
ABAI
Welcome to From and For Students of Behavior Analysis!
A new blog
Case Studies in Communication: What Sentiment Analysis Says About What WE Say About Behavior Analysis
Sentiment analysis claims that dissemination ought to be positive, which means we here at The Fixed Interval are in deep shit
Licensing & professional organizations
ASAN
What is happening at the Department of Education?
Not sure the administration knows, either
Kennedy’s lies endanger public health and the disabled community
Business world
Autism services, behavioral health, etc.
AI, Multidisciplinary Care Top Trends Fueling Growth in Autism Therapy Market
According to CentralReach data:
Center-based services are increasingly popular, and California leads with more than 50% of hours in-center
20% increase in service hours & 18% increase in clients
25% increase in number of providers
Plus, AI is popular, which will surely continue forever and ever amen.
Accidentally behavior analysis
A mainstream news article that relates to behavior analysis
Do Childhood Vaccines Cause Tornadoes?, The Atlantic
A lot of people (including the federal government?) are asking the question: do vaccines cause tornadoes? “Scientists” say it’s “unlikely,” but ignore parents who know for a fact that, right after lil Jiminy was jabbed, a full dingdang twister touched down on the I95. The CDC and FEMA are, suspiciously, only about 600 miles apart (on a round earth map) and have a lot to gain from an invasion of BIG TORNADO.
Continuing education
UPCOMING:
BehaviorLive is back to posting free events: 11/25
Flashback
Monsieur Taine: cherchez le bébé
In the pages of the 1887 publication MIND, M. Hippolyte Taine recorded his observations of language development in a child. His interpretation of his observations were clearly influenced by the emerging Darwinist movement in psychology (Darwin himself is published in the same issue) – movements and vocalizations are initially random, but are selected for utility as the child develops. He has a completely Engelmann-esque interpretation of the child’s learning: bébé, when used to label a figure within a painting, could be misinterpreted by the learner as meaning painting.
Didn't expect such a concise yet comprehensive summary of behavior analysis publications this week, and it's so important for staying updatted on the field, thank you for putting it together!