Many behavior analysts came to the field—often inspired by Skinner and others since—because they wanted to contribute to addressing the enormous challenges faced by human societies and life on earth. Many now find themselves frustrated by limited preparation and opportunities for applying our science to such challenges. Behavioral systems science (cultural analysis) now has reached a point where real potential exists for promoting progressive social change, in close partnership with related disciplines, in areas like climate change and sustainability, poverty and income inequality, and human rights and violence, among others. This first stage of the MATRIX Project focuses on conceptual work and literature reviews of cultural-level, systemic practice and research areas. Practices that hold promise for expanding behavioral systems contributions among 28 societal sectors are being explored, as well as contingency networks that could support and oppose adoption of those practices. The MATRIX is an evolving document consisting of sector-specific integrated sets of hypotheses, with the goal of identifying practices that support, oppose, motivate, and select the development and utilization of scientific behavioral systems to address social and global issues.

Completed Sectors

Additional Sectors to Be Developed