Comprehensive Contextual Solutions for Behavioral Challenges: Observations from the Social Sciences Minus Their Mentalisms

Abstract The question for this paper is how we should go about changing the behavior of individuals when we dispense with assumptions of “inner” causes and replace these with the simultaneous effects of shaping by interpersonal social relationships, groups/culture, and society on individuals. We briefly outline some contextual or behavioral ideas of how individual adult behaviors are socially shaped, using observations from social science. We then draw out the implications for behavior change. Strategies for changing contexts in order to change behaviors are discussed as: finding out the behaviors and life contexts, becoming aware of the contexts as change, resolving simple conflicts within their contexts, teaching new behaviors within their contexts, exiting the contexts, changing the contexts directly, building new contexts, and building new language social exchanges. Each of these strategies is discussed separately in terms of societal, group, and interpersonal situations with illustrations and examples. The ethical issues, practical issues, and issues of who does this work are all discussed.