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TOWARD A CONSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS: ETHICAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES RAISED BY APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
Behavior and Social Issues, Spring 2002 by Goldiamond, Israel
Institutions often fail to meet their social contracts. Reciprocal (societal-institutional) anguish is then produced. It has become fashionable to denounce institutions as pathologically inept or governed by hidden agendas. While such may at times be the case, I believe that for the purposes of changing the situation so that institutions move toward fulfillment of their explicit social contracts we might treat the suffering institution with the same consideration we treat the suffering individual.
The goal is already set for us and is constructionally stated: to help fulfill the social contract. How do we then ascertain the current relevant repertoire? To require total changeover may be beyond the means available and assumes knowledge of the solution. To the staff, such a proposal connotes institutional incompetence which is matched only by consultant arrogance. Suppose, instead, that what is considered pathology is defined as a competent operant, etc. (see opening sentence of previous paragraph). Suppose one says, in effect, "Look, some of the inmate behaviors which disturb you (and for which you're getting it in the neck) are produced by your procedures. You are reinforcing certain patterns, and thereby getting them (the statement and others are italicized only for future reference). Don't be dismayed. This makes the prognosis highly positive. It means that you are dispensing reinforcers which are important for inmate behaviors. What you do is meaningful. Let's see if we can figure out how to use what reinforcers you're already using to turn things around and thereby get some reinforcers for yourself."
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