Association for Behavior Analysis International

Aggression and reproductive interference are forms of behavioral interference that occur commonly between closely related species. Such between-species interactions can, and in most cases probably do, arise as a byproduct of activities that are part of the normal lives of animals, such as defending resources and attracting mates. However, the ecological and evolutionary consequences of behavioral interference between species can be quite distinct from the effects of the corresponding within-species interactions. Behavioral interference can determine whether species are able to coexist, and if they do coexist, how they evolve subsequently in response to each other through natural selection. Behavioral interference was probably part of human evolution, and could help explain why we are the only extant species in the genus Homo, but this talk will focus on what we know, with greater certainty, about the role of behavioral interference in the ecology and evolution of other animals. If behavioral interference is a costly interaction at the population level, why does it persist? In what ways, and to what extent, does behavioral interference affect the geographic ranges of species? How does behavioral interference affect the spread of invasive species, or the fate of endangered species? What is the evidence that behavioral interference has evolutionary consequences? I will use examples from the literature, as well as from my own research, to answer these and other questions, while striving to present a balanced perspective on the subject.

Anyone with an interest in the behavior of wild animals. No prior knowledge of the subject will be assumed.

Behavioral consultation (BC), wherein a consultant changes a target client's behavior by working directly with a mediator (e.g., K-12 teacher) who serves as interventionist, has long been an important topic in school psychology and applied behavior analysis. This presentation examines key historical developments in BC, such as the impact of Bergan, Kratochwill, and others' verbal interaction and competency-based training research, and then considers the state of current BC practice in schools and related settings. The presentation concludes with some speculations about how technology will affect future BC practice.

Practitioners who work with school-age clients

The science of behavior change in children with autism is well developed and sophisticated. Much of the work of BCBA's in the school system involves changing and supporting the practices of educators working with these children. The science and practice of changing the behavior of educators lags far behind, however. Nowhere is this more evident than in low-resource public schools, where poor pre-service training, school resources, and organizational culture and climate all can contribute to inadequate implementation of evidence-based practices. In these situations, traditional consultation and training practices often don't result in desired change. In this presentation, I describe a 10-year public-academic partnership and line of research in Philadelphia through which we have developed the science and practice of supporting public school teachers working under difficult circumstances.

BCBAs and other professionals who provide consultation and training to teachers working with children with autism.

ECHO Autism is an innovative model that leverages video-conferencing technology to create virtual learning networks of community providers. Community Providers regularly share deidentified case information with a team of experts who mentor through best practice strategies. ECHO Autism is reaching thousands of children in North America by training their primary care physicians and therapists. ECHO Autism for Primary Care Physicians/Practitioners focuses on increasing self-efficacy in identifying symptoms of autism and managing common medical and psychiatric comorbidities. ECHO Autism ABA and ECHO Autism School Psychology are other iterations of the model being used to disseminate and mentor best practice methods in rural and underserved communities.

Board certified behavior analysts; licensed psychologists; graduate students.