Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science

Aims & Scope

The Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science is the official journal of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS).

Contextual Behavioral Science is a systematic and pragmatic approach to the understanding of behavior, the solution of human problems, and the promotion of human growth and development. Contextual Behavioral Science uses functional principles and theories to analyze and modify action embedded in its historical and situational context. The goal is to predict and influence behavior, with precision, scope, and depth, across all behavioral domains and all levels of analysis, so as to help create a behavioral science that is more adequate to the challenge of the human condition.

JCBS welcomes contextual behavioral analyses of phenomena that are relevant to the aims and scope of the society's mission, which is to change behavior at an individual or cultural level, to alleviate human suffering, and to advance human wellbeing. JCBS is also a strategic approach to the analysis of human behavior that proposes the need for a multi-level (e.g. social factors, neurological factors, behavioral factors) and multi-method (e.g., time series analyses, cross-sectional, experimental…) exploration of contextual and manipulable variables relevant to the prediction and influence of human behavior. In addition it places a strong emphasis in theory development and the promotion of effective practices that link back to scientific principles.

The journal considers papers relevant to a contextual behavioral approach include empirical studies (without topical restriction - e.g., clinical psychology, psychopathology, education, organizational psychology, etc.), reviews (systematic reviews and meta-analyses are preferred), and conceptual and philosophical papers on contextual behavioral science. We are particularly interested in papers emphasizing the study of core behavioral processes that are relevant to a broad range of human problems, and thus not limited to certain populations. Conceptual papers selected for publication may address a broad range of topics but generally will focus on contextual and functional variables or the philosophical analysis of contextual behavioral science. Papers that challenge a contextual behavioral science approach are always welcome. Papers bridging different approaches (e.g., connecting behavioral approaches with cognitive views; or neurocognitive psychology; or evolutionary science) are particularly encouraged.

The journal publishes papers written by researchers, practitioners, and theoreticians from different intellectual traditions. What is distinctive is not a narrowly defined theory or set of applied methods but whether the methodology, conceptualization, or strategy employed is relevant to a contextual behavioral approach.

Audience