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Explore how scams, cults, MLMs, and other predatory systems use powerful behavioral contingencies to recruit and retain participants.

PREDATORY SYSTEMS WORK BY DESIGN.

Predatory systems are not simply the result of gullible people making poor decisions. Scams, cults, MLMs, and wellness grifters arrange powerful contingencies that recruit participants, reinforce involvement, and make leaving increasingly difficult.

In this course, you’ll explore the behavioral patterns shared across predatory systems. You’ll examine concepts like reinforced participation, competing contingencies, shaping, sunk costs, and authoritarian control to understand why people remain involved, even when the outcomes are harmful.

Through real-world examples and guided discussion, you’ll learn how behavior analysts can recognize predatory influence and evaluate the contingencies affecting clients, professionals, and consumers.
By the end of this course, you’ll understand how behavior-analytic principles can be used to identify predatory systems and explain how they recruit, influence, and retain participants.

$25

LIVE SESSION: October 13th, 

Eastern: 6:30 - 7:45 pm EST
Central: 5:30 - 6:45 pm CST
Mountain: 4:30 - 5:45 pm MST
Pacific: 3:30 - 4:45 pm PST


BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS OF PREDATORY SYSTEMS

Some of the discoveries you'll make in this course

Recognize Recruitment Tactics

Learn how emotion, promises, praise, and rapid rapport building encourage participation.

Examine Shaping
Over Time

Discover how predatory systems gradually shape expectations, commitments, and behavior.

Define Predatory Systems

Identify the behavioral patterns that distinguish predatory systems from ordinary influence.

Explore Sunk
Costs

Understand why people may continue investing time, money, and relationships despite harmful outcomes.

EARN CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUS) 

OP-23-10336

By completing this course you will earn:
 
1.5 Learning CEUs 

WHY ATTEND?

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Use real-world examples to practice recognizing the contingencies that support recruitment, participation, and control in predatory systems.

EXPAND YOUR BEHAVIORAL PERSPECTIVE

Apply your behavioral expertise to help clients, colleagues, and communities recognize potentially harmful influence attempts.

GREAT RESOURCES

Leave with behavior-analytic frameworks, real-world examples, and recommended sources for continuing your exploration of predatory systems.

Behavior analysts are uniquely equipped to recognize the contingencies that make predatory systems effective. Whether you work in clinical settings, OBM, education, or research, this course will help you apply your expertise to better understand influence, protect others, and create a broader impact.


MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Kristyn Peterson

PhD, BCBA, LBA, MLSSBB
Scams are one of Kristyn’s longest-standing special interests. As a BCBA with more than 10 years of experience and a PhD in Behavior Analysis, she is especially interested in understanding the contingencies that allow predatory systems to recruit participants, influence behavior, and persist over time.

Kristyn brings five years of full-time OBM experience and a systems-focused perspective to examining MLMs, cults, wellness grifters, scams, and other high-control environments. Rather than treating involvement in these systems as a personal failure, she focuses on how normal people respond to powerful reinforcement, social influence, and competing contingencies. Kristyn is excited to help behavior analysts recognize predatory systems, evaluate their ethical risks, and better protect themselves and the people they support.

COURSE REVIEWS

COMING SOON

ABOUT US

MORALIS MACHINA

In a nutshell? 

We're behavioral scientists on a mission to make corporate culture less toxic and more top-notch. 

Come find out how to make real waves in the workplace. 

COURSE CONTENTS

FAQ

How many CEUs will I get?

If you're BACB certified, completing the course will get you 1.5 CEUs!

Who is this course for? 

This course is for behavior analysts who want to better recognize how predatory systems recruit, influence, and retain participants. It is especially relevant for professionals interested in ethics, consumer behavior, social influence, and applying behavior analysis beyond traditional settings.

Are there any pre-requisite skills? 

A basic understanding of behavioral phenomena (e.g., reinforcement, punishment and extinction) and a desire to engage is all you need for this course. 

What if I'm not certified through the BACB? 

That's okay! In lieu of CEUs, you'll get a certificate of completion.