A Look in the Mirror: How the Field of Behavior Analysis Can become Anti-Racist
Behavior analysis must audit and reform its own racist structures, and Levy et al. give you the checklist.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Levy et al. (2022) wrote a position paper. They asked the entire field of behavior analysis to look at itself. The authors want every layer—training, practice, research, leadership—to face systemic racism head-on.
They did not run an experiment. Instead they built a roadmap. The paper shows how to embed anti-racism and cultural humility into our daily work.
What they found
The authors found that racism lives inside our own structures. Syllabi, hiring, supervision, and conference stages all need an audit.
They say the fix is not a one-time workshop. Lasting change needs policy, data, and brave self-checks at every level.
How this fits with other research
Najdowski et al. (2021) drew the first blueprint. They targeted graduate programs only. Levy et al. (2022) widened the same lens to the whole field.
Machalicek et al. (2022) zoomed in on you, the individual BCBA. They give a self-management plan for daily antiracist actions. Levy’s paper sets the stage; Machalicek hands you the tracker.
Sylvain et al. (2022) added hard numbers. Their survey showed Black BCBAs feel racism and performative allyship every day. Levy’s call for an audit now has lived evidence to back it up.
McComas et al. (2025) shift the spotlight to ableism. Both papers demand the same thing—dismantle biased structures inside ABA. Racism or ableism, the fix starts with honest mirrors and policy change.
Why it matters
You can start this week. Pick one system you touch—supervision notes, parent handouts, or staff hiring. Run a quick cultural audit: whose voices are missing? Write one measurable goal to include them. Share the goal with your team and track it. Small, data-driven steps turn the mirror into real change.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Sparked by recent events, discussions of systemic racism and racial inequalities have been pushed to the foreground of our global society, leading to what is being called the largest modern-day civil rights movement (Buchanan et al., 2020). In the past, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) activists and scholars, among others, have evaluated and critiqued systems and organizations within our society. Nonetheless, it was not until recently that this movement was truly noticed by a greater number of people, some of whom are now further assessing how BIPOC are viewed and treated within their organization and by society as a whole (Worland, 2020). This is not only due to the increase in video evidence (e.g., released body cam footage, social media postings), but also the previous administration’s rhetoric and political agenda (Hubler & Bosman, 2021). Police departments, educational institutions, and large companies have, for decades, been under scrutiny for their systems and practices that promote racism, inequality, and inequity. The field of behavior analysis, with its Eurocentric roots and observed lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion, is not exempt from such evaluations. It is time that we take a look in the mirror and evaluate our own professional, research, educational, and clinical practices, and work towards creating a new, more inclusive, field of behavior analysis that promotes anti-racism and cultural humility.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2022 · doi:10.1007/s40617-021-00630-3