The Behavior of Social Justice : Applying Behavior Analysis to Understand and Challenge Injustice

This seminal work utilizes the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to understand people’s actions. It provides a framework for the study of social injustices that moves beyond just condemning others for their oppressive behaviors, outlining solutions that help work towards a more socially just society.

Divided across three main sections, the book outlines the basic principles of applied behavior analysis, considers key tenets of social justice work, and examines how social justice work can be carried out on an individual and a wider institutional level. The first section focuses on the principles of behavior and how it expounds on the causes, reasons, and purposes behind one’s actions. The subsequent sections pay particular attention to how prejudice, stereotypes, and bias play out in society, and how prejudices and biases make us more likely to participate in social injustices. The third section provides a behavioral description of various -isms and discusses the difference between -isms and individual behaviors, before exploring common -isms. The book concludes with an analysis of the reasons behind their persistence, followed by solutions that can be embraced by people.

Packed with case studies and reflective questions, The Behavior of Social Justice is an essential reading for students and scholars of behavioral sciences, psychology, sociology and education, as well as academics and researchers interested in the study of social justice.