Public information, dissemination, and behavior analysis.
Behavior analysts must take charge of public messaging to counter misconceptions and protect the field’s reputation.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Fujita (1985) wrote a position paper. He warned that bad press could sink behavior analysis.
He listed steps for BCBAs to share clear, correct facts with the public.
What they found
The paper found no data. It argued that unless BCBAs speak up, myths will fill the gap.
The author said good science and good PR must go hand in hand.
How this fits with other research
Aragon-Guevara et al. (2025) extends this worry. They show 73 % of top TikTok autism clips are wrong. The 1985 fear of misinformation now plays out on phones every day.
Davison et al. (2005) updates the same theme. They say journals reward flashy results, not replications. This bias weakens the solid evidence Fujita (1985) wanted to show the public.
Manolov et al. (2022) and Jacobs (2019) give tools to fix the bias. Free software and randomization tests make it easier to prove our data hold up. These tools answer the 1985 call for credible, shareable science.
Why it matters
If you do not tell your story, someone else will—and they may get it wrong. Post short, accurate videos or infographics that show what ABA really looks like. Use the free replication tools so your graphs back up your words. One clear post a week can drown out the myths.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Behavior analysts have become increasingly concerned about inaccuracies and misconceptions in the public, educational, and professional information portraying their activities, but have done little to correct these views. The present paper has two purposes in this regard. First, the paper describes some of the conditions that have given rise to these concerns. Second, and more important, the paper surveys various procedures and programs for the dissemination of public information that may correct inaccuracies and misconceptions. Special consideration is also given to issues involving (a) the assessment of the problem, (b) the content and means of dissemination, (c) the possible contributions of behavior analysts to current misunderstandings, and (d) relationships between behavior analysts and the media. The dissemination of accurate and unbiased information constitutes an important new undertaking for behavior analysis. The future of the field may depend in part on such activity.
The Behavior analyst, 1985 · doi:10.1007/BF03391916