Presented at ACBS World Conference 12, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2014
Actions have consequences, and being able to learn from them revolutionized life on earth. Consequences are everywhere, influencing everything from the humblest flatworms to our most impressive human accomplishments. The science of consequences, operant behavior principles that is, incorporates their important role in nature-and-nurture while producing applications across the board, from everyday life to our biggest societal challenges. Taking an inclusive interdisciplinary "systems approach," this talk will summarize how something so deceptively simple can help make sense of so much. Topics will include the generality of these operant principles, their biological context, their role in language development, and a representative sampling of their many applications--including largescale areas like addiction and sustainability.