34 PREJUDICE AND OPPRESSION

Addressing Societal Issues of Prejudice and Oppression: How Can Behavior Analysis Help?

Abstract

Behavior analysis can be used to study how prejudices develop and to evaluate effective strategies that may mitigate prejudices and reduce oppression, although there has been limited research in this area thus far. Behavior analytic literature that focused on the issues of prejudice and oppression is beginning to emerge; however, many behavior analysts may not have sufficient training to address these complex societal issues. A review of the underpinnings of how prejudices emerge and are maintained throughout society is offered. In addition, a behavior analytic account of prejudices is discussed. Barriers to addressing prejudice are reviewed along with current strategies that have been studied to increase cultural understanding and minimize biases. Behavior analysts can become potent agents of change by advocating for effective training programs and practices which promote cultural humility, diversity, and cultural responsiveness. Prejudice is pervasive and must be addressed on an individual and organizational/institutional level. This chapter offers recommendations on how to accomplish this task. The chapter concludes with a call for behavior analysts to venture into areas such as public health, social justice reform, and politics to allow our understanding of how behavior can be changed to influence policies in order to create a more socially just and less prejudiced society.

Keywords

prejudice

oppression

bias

respondent conditioning

operant conditioning

stimulus generalization

relational frame theory

derived relational responding

Rule-governed behavior

Social constructs

color-blindness

naming

categorization

cultural awareness

cultural humility

cultural responsiveness

About

Lauren A. Goodwyn