On recent attempts to rebrand “behavior analysis” as “behavior science”

ABSTRACT

In recent years, behavior analysts have increasingly used the term behavior science to describe the discipline behavior analysis. These “rebranding” efforts have not been concentrated in any particular domain of behavior analysis and appear to be decentralized in nature. We analyze the possible reasons for using this alternative term and describe some difficulties associated with this practice, such as the already extensive use of behavior science to describe a family of social sciences and the widespread development that has occurred under behavior analysis. We conclude the commentary by proposing several variables for behavior analysts to consider before using an alternative term to describe our discipline.

KEYWORDS:

• Behavior analysis
• behavior science
• dissemination
• language
• verbal behavior

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. We should add here that it might be that behavior analysts are specifically using behavior science rather than behavioral science because of the existing and broad meanings of the latter term. However, we suspect that such a minor distinction will do little to prevent confusion. To illustrate, think about how often you have had to correct others when they used behavioral analysis instead of behavior analysis to describe our discipline.