CentralReach “ABA On Call” Season 7 Ep 9: Harnessing Virtual Reality for Social Skills: The Story of Social Wise VR
This episode of ABA On Call features an engaging discussion with Jennifer Shahin and Nicole Lockerman, co-founders of Social Wise VR, a company pioneering the use of immersive virtual reality to teach social skills. Drawing from backgrounds in applied behavior analysis and education, the guests describe how outdated methods, such as worksheets and role-plays, often fail to generalize to real-life contexts. Social Wise VR addresses this challenge by providing realistic, actor-driven scenarios in controlled VR environments, allowing learners to safely practice social interactions, build confidence, and experience the natural consequences of different choices. The conversation explores the development journey, the integration of ABA principles and curriculum design, expansion into workplace and safety scenarios, and the future of VR and AR technologies in behavioral intervention. This dialogue highlights the potential of technology to bridge critical gaps in social skills training for individuals with autism and beyond. To earn CEUs for listening, click here, log in or sign up, pay the CEU fee, + take the attendance verification to generate your certificate! Don’t forget to subscribe and follow and leave us a rating and review. Show Notes: SocialWise VR creates authentic social experiences in the virtual world helping people feel confident in real-life situations. https://www.socialwisevr.com/
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CentralReach “ABA On Call” Season 7 Ep 8: Teaching Sexuality Education for Students with Disabilities
Rick and Doug are joined by Dr. Jen Wertalik of Georgia Southern University and Dr. Pam Wolfe, retired from Penn State University, to discuss their groundbreaking new book on sexuality education for individuals with disabilities. The conversation explores why sexuality education is essential, the heightened risks of abuse faced by this population, and how comprehensive instruction extends far beyond physiology to include relationships, self-advocacy, and decision-making. The guests highlight both the challenges and opportunities of preparing teachers, parents, and caregivers to navigate an often-taboo topic with empirical, practical strategies. Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of how sexuality education empowers individuals with disabilities to live safer, more fulfilling lives. To earn CEUs for listening, click here, log in or sign up, pay the CEU fee, + take the attendance verification to generate your certificate! Don’t forget to subscribe and follow and leave us a rating and review. Show Notes: Coming Soon!
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CentralReach “ABA On Call” Season 7 Ep 7: Translating Kahneman: Behavioral Science Meets Thinking, Fast and Slow
In this episode of ABA On Call, Drs. Rick Kubina and Doug Kostewicz delve into the cognitive psychology classic "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman. With wit and depth, they explore System 1 and System 2 thinking, cognitive biases, regression to the mean, and the law of least effort, recasting each concept through a behavioral analytic lens. Rather than dismissing the cognitive approach, Rick and Doug model respectful synthesis, showing how behavior analysts can both challenge and learn from other psychological traditions. This engaging conversation helps bridge the gap between behavior science and mainstream psychology, offering practical insights for clinicians, researchers, and curious practitioners alike. To earn CEUs for listening, click here, log in or sign up, pay the CEU fee, + take the attendance verification to generate your certificate! Don’t forget to subscribe and follow and leave us a rating and review. Show Notes: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Kahneman
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CentralReach “ABA On Call” Season 7 Ep 6: Clearing Up ABA’s Most Misunderstood Concepts
In this insightful episode of ABA On Call, Rick Kubina and Doug Kostewicz tackle some of the most commonly misunderstood and misapplied concepts in Applied Behavior Analysis. From the mislabeling of reinforcement to the confusion between negative reinforcement and punishment, the hosts explore why technical accuracy matters and how misunderstanding core terms can derail effective practice. Using real-world stories, data interpretation, and even a behavioral lightning round, the episode clarifies foundational concepts like prompting, fluency, task analysis, motivation, and generalization. Whether you’re a student, a supervisor, or a seasoned BCBA, you’ll walk away with a deeper appreciation for precision in both language and application. To earn CEUs for listening, click here, log in or sign up, pay the CEU fee, + take the attendance verification to generate your certificate! Don’t forget to subscribe and follow and leave us a rating and review.
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CentralReach “ABA On Call” Season 7 Ep 5: Why Apps Are Addictive: How Tech Companies Exploit Behavior
In this episode of ABA On Call, Rick and Doug dissect the behavioral science behind app design, revealing how tech companies use variable reinforcement schedules to hijack user behavior and drive compulsive engagement. Drawing from core principles of behavior analysis, they explore how seemingly harmless interactions, such as likes, swipes, and notifications, are systematically engineered to reinforce usage patterns. The conversation moves beyond theory into the ethical minefield of digital design, especially its impact on children, teens, and vulnerable users. With examples ranging from red-dot alerts to algorithm-driven content loops, the hosts challenge behavior analysts to confront the weaponization of reinforcement and consider their role in advocating for more ethical technology. To earn CEUs for listening, click here, log in or sign up, pay the CEU fee, + take the attendance verification to generate your certificate! Don’t forget to subscribe and follow and leave us a rating and review. Show Notes: A Wall Street Journal investigation
ABA on Call presented by CentralReach, explores the Applied Behavior Analysis/Healthcare Technology industries through thought-provoking conversation. Watch to explore ideas and trends in the field with renowned ABA experts, Rick Kubina Jr., Ph.D, BCBA-D & Doug Kostewicz, Ph.D, BCBA-D. Earn BACB CEUs to support your ongoing certification for Season 4 and future episodes.
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