ABA from A to Z: Behavior Science Applied to 350 Domains of Socially Significant Behavior
ABA has already entered 350-plus corners of life—use the open list to find the empty corners next.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The authors read every paper they could find where ABA touched a new area.
They listed each place ABA has been used and counted more than 350 spots.
The list is in the free online file so you can skim it fast.
What they found
ABA is not just for autism or classrooms.
People have used it on sports, health, the planet, pets, and even how scientists write.
The map shows big blank spots where no one has tried ABA yet.
How this fits with other research
Pitts et al. (2019) and Dykens et al. (1991) show ABA works in UK and US schools.
Heward et al. (2022) places those school wins inside a much bigger picture.
Abbott (2013) told us to quit acting like ABA is only for kids; the new count proves it already isn’t.
Call et al. (2025) says we should write for non-ABA journals; the 2022 list gives 350 topic ideas to pitch.
Why it matters
Next time you plan a grant, thesis, or side project, open the 350-item sheet.
Pick a domain that has almost no bars—pollution, adult sleep, voter turnout—and run a single-case pilot.
You will grow the field, freshen your resume, and maybe help a brand-new crowd.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Download the free supplement, pick one blank domain, and draft a single-case pilot you could run this month.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Applied behavior analysis (ABA), the practical wing of behavior science, is defined by its focus on socially significant behavior and characterized by an assumed relevance to every domain of it. Although advocates claim ABA has world-changing potential, disagreements exist about how well the science has met its potential for far-ranging social significance. To advance this discussion, we present an extensive list of socially significant behavior domains to which ABA has given empirical attention. The list demonstrates the broad applicability of behavior analysis and suggests some themes future researchers could emphasize to help ABA achieve world-changing impact. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40614-022-00336-z.
Perspectives on Behavior Science, 2022 · doi:10.1007/s40614-022-00336-z