NCJ Number
142690
Date Published
1974
Length
651 pages
Annotation
A mass of information was assembled to investigate government-sanctioned behavior modification programs with particular emphasis on the Federal Government's involvement in the technology of behavior control and the implications of this involvement for individual rights.
Abstract
Two basic considerations motivated the investigation of government-sanctioned behavior modification programs: the concern that the rights of human subjects of behavioral research are sufficiently protected by adequate guidelines and review structures, and the question of whether it is appropriate for the Federal Government to be participating in programs that may alter the substance of individual freedom. Initial findings indicate: a widespread and growing interest exists in the development of methods designed to predict, identify, control, and modify individual human behavior; few substantive measures have been taken as yet to resolve the critical questions of freedom, privacy, and self-determination raised by behavior control technology; the Federal Government is involved heavily in various behavior modification programs; and a number of departments and agencies fund, participate in, or otherwise sanction behavior modification research in the absence of effective review structures, guidelines, or standards for participation. 121 footnotes