Behavior Analysis, Participative Research and the Democratization of Science

Abstract

This article aimed to describe participatory research approaches as a methodological possibility for research in applied behavior analysis. There is a vast literature on the positive aspects and the challenges involved in these approaches, which comprises several different typologies used to describe and define them. In this paper, we discuss two aspects in depth: the social validity of research problems, methods, and results; and the democratization of science. Two specific approaches were the focus of this discussion: citizen science and community-based participatory research. Some authors cite both public engagement in science and public understanding of science as potential outcomes of research based on participatory research, while others indicate the need to differentiate these outcomes. At first, we discuss the theoretical reasoning for the application of participatory research with regards to its outcomes and methods, indicating relevant ethical considerations. The literature considered here indicates that, while the potential for democratization of science through participation in research is ample, there is some drawback regarding the potential use of said approaches to monetize the collection of data. Secondly, we collated ideal methodological characteristics for research, with the goal of identifying studies that could represent strong examples of how citizen science and community based participatory research have been applied. We included studies that had among its outcomes the democratization of science. Four research reports were analyzed based on these characteristics. Relations with the principles of research on applied behavior analysis were discussed; for instance, we identified the importance of using non-verbal measurements of behavior modification, and the importance of single-subject research design. Although few examples were identified, they indicate a variety of methodologies that may be followed for establishing strong relationships between the scientific community and other groups. The examples presented also indicate that these research approaches can be applied in different settings, with different communities and with a different set of methods and outcomes. They also indicate that the potential for democratization of science that participatory research approaches offer deserves further exploration. We also argue that these approaches have much to offer to research in applied behavior analysis. Since its inception, applied behavior analysis has been concerned with the social validity of its methods and outcomes, as well as the dissemination of the science of behavior. The challenge of establishing if a research has any social validity has long been described behavior analists. Engaging in citizen science or community based participatory research may be a way for behavior analysts to apply behavioral principles to socially relevant issues in the communities that are most affected by it, all while opening our practice to be shaped by the contingencies that are established by those communities.