Researchers have made significant progress in the behavioral sciences during the last forty years, but, as a society, we have achieved few widespread cultural improvements as a result. This book offers a contextualist approach both for learning how to affect the incidence and prevalence of behavior and for changing the cultural practices that direct individual behavior.

The book begins with a philosophical and theoretical framework for analyzing cultural practices and conducting research on how to change them. Then it applies this framework to important areas of cultural practice-tobacco use, childrearing, sexism, and environmental preservation. Finally, the book outlines the development of a science of changing of cultural practices.