Data-Based Decision Making for Social Behavior: Setting a Research Agenda

Abstract

With the advent of Precision Teaching more than 50 years ago, researchers and practitioners began to examine how to use K-12 students’ academic data to guide instructional decisions. Although the field has advanced with the use of curriculum-based measurement and data-driven decision rules for reading and math, the same is not true in the area of social behavior. In this article, we provide a brief retrospective of academic decision making to inform an initial call for research related to behavioral decision making. Then, we highlight areas for exploration related to baseline data, measurement tools, and features of behavior that, if answered via rigorous scientific inquiry, can move the field forward in making data-based decisions to improve behavioral outcomes.