This comparison draws in part from “The Art of Not Knowing: Redefining Expertise in the Field of ABA” by Melanie Shank, BCBA (BehaviorLive), and extends it with peer-reviewed research from our library of 27,900+ ABA research articles. The decision framework, BACB ethics code references, and cross-links below are synthesized by Behaviorist Book Club.
View the original presentation →ABA training has historically modeled expertise as authoritative: the expert knows the right answer, applies the right procedure, and produces the right outcome. This model has real strengths — it is efficient in highly routine situations and provides clear direction in organizational hierarchies. But it has clinical costs when the situation is complex, when the evidence is uncertain, or when important information exists outside the expert's own perspective. Professional humility offers an alternative model that treats expertise not as a possession but as a practice — one that includes knowing the limits of what you know and building structures that allow you to keep learning.
| Factor | Evidence-Based Approach | Traditional Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship to uncertainty | Authoritative expertise: minimizes expressed uncertainty to signal competence | Professional humility: communicates uncertainty accurately as a sign of epistemic integrity |
| Response to disconfirming data | Authoritative expertise: defends existing formulation; attributes non-response to implementation problems | Professional humility: treats disconfirming data as information; revises formulation readily when evidence warrants |
| Use of others' perspectives | Authoritative expertise: consults selectively; treats caregiver and staff observations as secondary | Professional humility: actively elicits perspectives from caregivers, staff, and supervisees; treats them as genuine data |
| Supervisory behavior | Authoritative expertise: provides answers; models confidence; directs supervisee reasoning | Professional humility: asks genuine questions; models uncertainty; facilitates supervisee reasoning rather than replacing it |
| Learning orientation | Authoritative expertise: learning happens through accumulating more expertise in existing domains | Professional humility: learning is ongoing; each case is an opportunity to update knowledge, not confirm it |
| Cultural effect on team | Authoritative expertise: creates hierarchy that can suppress alternative perspectives and error reporting | Professional humility: creates psychological safety that supports error reporting, collaborative problem-solving, and team learning |
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ on-demand CEUs including ethics, supervision, and clinical topics like this one. Plus a new live CEU every Wednesday.
Use this framework when approaching the art of not knowing: redefining expertise in the field of aba in your practice:
Does the data support a need for intervention? Is there a meaningful impact on the individual's quality of life, safety, or access to reinforcement?
YES → Proceed to assessment NO → Document reasoning, monitor
A functional assessment should guide intervention selection. Avoid defaulting to standard protocols without individual analysis. Consider environmental variables, setting events, and private events.
YES → Select evidence-based approach matched to function NO → Complete assessment first
Goals should be co-developed. Assent and informed consent are ethical requirements. The individual's preferences and values matter in selecting both goals and methods.
YES → Proceed with collaborative plan NO → Engage in shared decision-making
This course covers the clinical and ethical dimensions in detail with structured learning objectives and CEU credit.
The Art of Not Knowing: Redefining Expertise in the Field of ABA — Melanie Shank · 1 BACB Supervision CEUs · $15
Take This Course →We extended this decision guide with research from our library — dig into the peer-reviewed studies behind each approach, in plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
231 research articles with practitioner takeaways
1 BACB Supervision CEUs · $15 · BehaviorLive
Research-backed educational guide
Research-backed answers for behavior analysts
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.