The Scientific Image in Behavior Analysis.
Slap a QR code on your next parent handout so they can watch, not just read, the procedure.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Keenan (2016) wrote a theory piece. He asked: can a simple QR code glued to a handout carry extra teaching power? He sketched how a parent or staff member could scan the code and watch a short clip instead of reading dense text.
The paper is not an experiment. It is a map showing practitioners how to bolt video, audio, or animation onto printed behavior-analytic material.
What they found
The author showed that print plus QR multimedia beats print alone. A flyer can only say so much. A linked video can show a prompt, a graph, or a model in action.
No new data appear. The finding is a proof-of-concept: tiny codes can turn static pages into living lessons.
How this fits with other research
Critchfield et al. (2017) extends this idea. They found that behavior-analytic words often feel cold or harsh to lay listeners. Their fix: test your wording with free public emotion-rating lists before you attach it to Mickey’s QR code. Use both tools together and your handout will sound friendlier and play a movie.
Whalon et al. (2019) and de la Cruz et al. (2025) sit nearby. Both papers push ethical, clear outreach to non-experts. Mickey gives the how; they give the why and the moral guardrails.
Saunders et al. (2005) already dreamed of large-scale dissemination. Mickey delivers a cheap, ready-now tactic that helps that dream land in real homes and clinics.
Why it matters
You already hand parents a token-economy sheet or staff a prompt-hierarchy poster. Add a QR code that opens a 30-second video of you demonstrating the skill. No extra app cost. No printing overhaul. One scan turns confusion into clarity and boosts treatment fidelity before the first session ends.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Throughout the history of science, the scientific image has played a significant role in communication. With recent developments in computing technology, there has been an increase in the kinds of opportunities now available for scientists to communicate in more sophisticated ways. Within behavior analysis, though, we are only just beginning to appreciate the importance of going beyond the printing press to elucidate basic principles of behavior. The aim of this manuscript is to stimulate appreciation of both the role of the scientific image and the opportunities provided by a quick response code (QR code) for enhancing the functionality of the printed page. I discuss the limitations of imagery in behavior analysis ("Introduction"), and I show examples of what can be done with animations and multimedia for teaching philosophical issues that arise when teaching about private events ("Private Events 1 and 2"). Animations are also useful for bypassing ethical issues when showing examples of challenging behavior ("Challenging Behavior"). Each of these topics can be accessed only by scanning the QR code provided. This contingency has been arranged to help the reader embrace this new technology. In so doing, I hope to show its potential for going beyond the limitations of the printing press.
The Behavior analyst, 2016 · doi:10.1007/s40614-016-0059-4