Personal agency in feminist theory: Evicting the illusive dweller.

Ruiz (1998) wrote a theory paper. It asks radical behaviorists to drop the idea of free-will 'agency.' Instead, the author says agency is just behavior shaped by environment. The goal is to make behaviorism talk with feminist theory.

Feminists worry that women get taught smaller behavioral repertoires than men. Ruiz (1998) says a true behavioral view can map those unequal contingencies without blaming the person.

The paper does not test people. It shows a new definition: personal agency = the person's history of reinforcement and punishment. If we use this definition, behavior analysts can study sexist environments instead of calling women 'less agentic.'

Malagodi (1986) and Malagodi et al. (1989) first said behavior analysts must study cultural rules. Ruiz (1998) answers that call by aiming the lens at gendered rules.

Watson-Thompson et al. (2022) and Capriotti et al. (2022) extend the same logic to racism and LGBTQ+ oppression. They use the Social-Ecological Model and cultural reciprocity to map unfair contingencies, just as Ruiz (1998) does for feminist agency.

Michael (1995) dissolves the subjective-objective split the same way Ruiz (1998) dissolves agency. Both papers turn mentalistic words into observable behavior with differing access.

When a parent or teacher says 'She needs more agency,' you can reply, 'Let's find what contingencies restrict her choices.' Map who gives reinforcement, what settings allow the behavior, and what stimuli signal boys get turns but girls do not. Then change those variables instead of waiting for the child to 'try harder.'