CHILD LABOR AND BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

The work of the Child Employment Research Group (CERG) at the University of Paisley grew out of a critical review by two behavior analysts who noted that although child labor is common throughout the world, it has not been the subject of much study by psychologists. Research by CERG has demonstrated that it is the norm for young people in Britain to have paid employment while still of school age. Working more than ten hours per week has also been shown to be associated with poor school performance. Members of CERG argue that although moral indignation at certain forms of child labor is understandable, it may be counterproductive if not accompanied by precise analysis of both the problems and the proposed solutions. CERG has argued that research on child labor might be conducted within the scope of a Balance Model which allows for the possibility of cost and benefits existing side by side.Key words: child labor, behavior analysis, children