Reflections on Government by Thom Ratkos belongs in serious BCBA study because it shapes whether behavior-analytic decisions stay useful once they leave a clean training example and enter language assessment, teaching sessions, caregiver coaching, and natural communication routines. In Reflections on Government by Thom Ratkos, for this course, the practical stakes show up in clearer case conceptualization, better instructional targets, and stronger generalization, not in abstract discussion alone.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Skinner Foundation
Take This Course →Including ethics, supervision, and topics like this one. New live CEU every Wednesday.
Join Free →Skinner's writing on government and the institutional forces controlling the behavior of humans spanned much of his career. In this collection of papers gathered under the section "Society", an analysis of politics, economics, the potential futures of humanity, and multiple connections to Walden Two are explored. In this presentation, we will examine how Skinner's view of ideal political and economic structures differs from current systems. Additionally, we will see what connections we can form with cultural materialism as an analytic framework, and hear from historical and contemporary writers who complement Skinner's analysis.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | General |
| COA | 1 | — |
Thom Ratkos is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences and the Director of the Applied Behavior Analysis program at Berry College. He is a doctoral level Board Certified Behavior Analyst and teaches undergraduate courses. He received his PhD in Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University studying with Dr. Jessica Van Stratton. Thom Ratkos has previously worked with and provided services for children with autism as well as children and adolescents engaging in problem behavior. His research interests include conceptual issues in behavior analysis, verbal behavior, and the intersection of behaviorism and social issues.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
231 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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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.