Applied Quantitative Analysis of Behavior: What It Is, and Why We Care—Introduction to the Special Section
Use new math tools to turn everyday ABA data into faster, better clinical decisions.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The editors opened a special issue on Applied Quantitative Analysis of Behavior (AQAB).
They asked authors to show how math tools can sharpen both theory and day-to-day practice.
Papers cover clinics, schools, and basic labs, but no new data are reported here.
What they found
The field already has rich numbers, yet we rarely mine them with modern equations.
AQAB promises clearer graphs, tighter forecasts, and faster choice rules for clients.
How this fits with other research
Sidman (2002) recalled informal mentorship that once drove progress; AQAB keeps the heart but adds spreadsheets.
Lattal (1984) urged scientists to test principles on themselves; AQAB gives those self-experiments better statistics.
Tager-Flusberg et al. (2016) showed how to include minimally verbal kids in tough studies; AQAB equations can detect tiny gains those kids make.
Together the papers form a ladder: past wisdom, inclusive methods, and now sharper math.
Why it matters
You already take data each session. AQAB pushes you to plot rates, run simple models, and let the numbers guide your next move. Start small: graph one child’s tantrums per minute, draw a trend line, and adjust reinforcement before the week ends. The special issue gives free code and ready graphs so you can begin Monday.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Science evolves from prior approximations of its current form. Interest in changes in species over time was not a new concept when Darwin made his famous voyage to the Galapagos Islands; concern with speciation stretches back throughout the history of modern thought. Behavioral science also does and must evolve. Such change can be difficult, but it can also yield great dividends. The focus of the current special section is on a common mutation that appears to have emerged across these areas and the critical features that define an emerging research area—applied quantitative analysis of behavior (AQAB). In this introduction to the “Special Issue on Applications of Quantitative Methods,” we will outline some of the common characteristics of research in this area, an exercise that will surely be outdated as the research area continues to progress. In doing so, we also describe how AQAB is relevant to theory, behavioral pharmacology, applied behavior analysis, and health behaviors. Finally, we provide a summary for the articles that appear in this special issue. The authors of these papers are all thinking outside the Skinner box, creating new tools and approaches, and testing them against relevant data. If we can keep up this evolution of methods and ideas, behavior analysis will regain its place at the head of the table!
Perspectives on Behavior Science, 2021 · doi:10.1007/s40614-021-00323-w