Behaviorism: part of the problem or part of the solution.

White (1978) wrote a think-piece, not an experiment. He asked why behavior analysts only treat one kid at a time. He said we should also study the reward systems that run schools, hospitals, and governments.

The paper is short. It uses plain words. It tells readers to look at the big picture, not just the single client.

There is no data table. The finding is an idea: if we ignore the larger reward system, the client’s new skills may not last. Fix the system and you fix more people.

In short, behavior modification can either help society or patch its holes. The choice is ours.

Abbott (2013) is a direct sequel. It repeats the 1978 call but gives fresher examples: sex-ed classes, drug courts, and workplace safety. The message is the same—move past kid-and-table therapy.

Hugh-Pennie et al. (2022) takes the idea into schools. They show how racist reward systems push Black kids into more suspensions. They use ABA tools to redesign those rules. The 1978 dream becomes a classroom manual.

Allen et al. (2024) flips the camera toward our own field. They say the system that needs fixing is ABA itself. Use identity-first language, get assent, and invite Autistic voices to the design table. This extends the 1978 plea inward.

Next time you write a behavior plan, zoom out. Ask who else is handing out rewards or punishments. Talk to teachers, nurses, or bosses. Map their contingencies like you would a token chart. One meeting with the cafeteria manager could save you ten hours of 1:1 intervention.