ABA Terms Flashcards
Determinism
The assumption the universe is a lawful and orderly place in which phenomena occur as the results of other events
Empiricism
The Practice of Objective Observation of the phenomena of interest
Experimentation
A carefully conducted comparison of some measure of the phenomenon of interest under two or more different conditions in which only one factor at a time differs from one condition to another
Replication
Repeating experiments to determine the reliability and usefulness of findings
Parsimony
Simple, logical explanations must be ruled out, experimentally or conceptually, before complex or abstract explanations are considered
Philosophical Doubt
Continually questioning the truthfulness and validity of all scientific theory and knowledge
Behaviorism - Theoretical and Philosophical
A systematic approach to understanding the behavior of humans and other animals. Emphasizes the direct observation of the relationship between environmental stimuli and the response they evoke (S - R)
Experimental Analysis of Behavior - Basic Research
A natural science approach for discovering orderly and reliable relations between behavior and various types of environmental variables of which it is a function; discovers reliable relations
Radical Behaviorism
Attempts to explain all behavior, including private events, such as thinking and feeling
Mentalism
An approach to understanding behavior that assumed that a mental or inner dimension exists that differs from a behavioral dimension and that phenomena in this dimension either directly cause or at least mediate some forms of behavior
Methodological Behaviorism
A philosophical position that considers behavioral events that cannot be publicly observed to be outside the real of science
Applied Behavior Analysis - Applied Research
The science in which tactics derived from the principles of behavior are applied systematically to improve socially significant behavior and experimentation is used to identify the variables responsible for behavior change
Response
A specific instance of behavior
Response Topography
The physical shape or form of a behavior
Response Class
A group of responses of varying topography, which all produce the same effect on the environment
Stimulus Class
A group of stimuli that share specified common elements along formal, temporally, and functionally
Respondent Behavior
Elicited by antecedent stimuli
Operant Behavior
Selected by consequences
Ontogeny
Lifetime of an individual Organism
Phylogeny
History of Species
Function Based Definitions
Members in the response class have the same effect on the environment
Topography Based Definitions
Members in the response class have the same shape or form of the behavior
Repeatability (Measurable dimension of behavior)
Instance of a response class occur repeatedly through time (Behavior can be counted)
Temporal Extent (Measurable dimension of behavior)
Every instance of behavior occurs during some amount of time (the duration fo behavior can be measured)
Temporal Locus (Measurable dimension of behavior)
Every instance of behavior occurs at a certain point in time with respect to other events (When behavior occurs can be measured)
Rate (or frequency)
The number of responses per unit of time
Celeration
Measure of the change in rate of responding per unit of time
Duration
The amount of time in which behavior occurs
Response Latency
A measure of the elapsed time between the onset of a stimulus and the initiation of a subsequent response
Interresponse time
The amount of time that elapses between two consecutive instances of a response class
Trials to Criterion
A measure of the number of response opportunities needed to achieve a predetermined level of performance
Magnitude
the force or intensity with which a response is emitted
Planned Activity Check (PLACHECK)
the observer records whether each individual group is engaged in the target behavior
Validity
Yields data that is directly relevant to the phenomenon measured and to the reasons for measuring it
Accuracy
The extent to which the observed value matches the true state or true value of the event
True Value
A measure ontained by procedures that are independent of and different from the procedures that produced the data being evaluated
Reliability
A measurement procedure yields the same value when brought into repeated contact with the same state of nature
Horizontal Axis in a Line Graph
the x axis; a straight horizontal line that represents the passage of time and the presence, absence, and/or value o the IV
Vertical Axis in a Line Graph
Y axis; represents a range of values of the dependent variable (some quantifiable dimension of behavior)
Data Points on a Graph
Represent a quantifiable measure of the target behavior recorded during an observation period and the time or experimental conditions under which the particular measurement was conducted
Standard Celeration Chart
Charts and analyzes how frequency of behavior changes over time
Variability with Graphs
The frequency and degree to which multiple measures of behavior yield different outcomes
Level with Graphs
The value on the vertical axis around which a series of data points converges
Trend with Graphs
The overall direction taken by a data path
External Validity
The degree to which a study’s results are generalizable to other subject’s settings and/or behaviors; or when a functional relation in an experiment holds under different conditions
Parametric Study
compares the differential effects of a range of different values of the IV
Internal Validity
When an experiment demonstrates a clear functional relation between the IV and the target behavior
Treatment integrity/Procedural Fidelity
the extent to which the IV is implemented or carried out as planned
Direct Replication
when a researcher duplicates the exact conditions of an earlier experiment
Systematic replication
when the researcher purposely varies one or more aspects of an earlier experiment
Social Validity
the social significance of the target behavior, the appropriateness of the procedures, and the social importance of the results
Type 1 Error
When a researcher concludes the IV had an effect on the DV when it did not
Type II Error
When a researcher concludes the IC did not have an effect on the DV when it did
Reinforcer
The stimulus change responsible for the increase in responding
Unconditioned Reinforcer
stimuli that function as reinforcement without requiring a learning history; from phylogenic development
Conditioned reinforcers
previously neutral stimuli that function as reinforcers as result of prior pairing with one or more other reinforcers
Generalized conditioned reinforcer
a conditioned reinforcer that as a result of having been paired with many unconditioned and conditioned reinforcers does not depend on a current EO for any particular form of reinforcement for its effectiveness
Premack Principle
Making the opportunity to engage in high probability behavior contingent on the occurrence of low frequency behavior will function as reinforcement for the low frequency behavior
Escape Contingency
Responding terminates the ongoing stimulus
Avoidance Contingency
Responding delays or prevents the presentation of a stimulus
Discriminated Avoidance
Responding in the presence of a signal prevents the stimulus presentation
Free - Operant Avoidance
Responding at any time prevents stimulus presentation
Unconditioned Negative Reinforcers
Stimuli whose removal strengthens behavior in the absence of prior learning
Conditioned Negative Reinforcers
Stimuli whose removal strengthens behavior as a result of previous pairing with other negative reinforcers
Social Negative Reinforcement
Stimulus termination through the action of another person
Automatic Negative Reinforcement
Stimulus termination as a direct result of a response
Punishment is more effective when…
- the onset of the punisher occurs as soon as possible after the occurrence of a target response
- The intensity of the punisher is high
- Each occurrence of the bx is followed by the punishing consequence
- Reinforcement is reduced and available for alternative behavior
Behavioral Contrast
Reduced responding from punishment in one situation may be accompanied by increased responding in situations in which responses are unpunished
Stimulus Generalization
when an antecedent stimulus has a history of evoking a response that has been reinforced in its presence, there is a general tendency for similar stimuli to also evoke the same response
Stimulus Discrimination Training
- Requires one behavior and two antecedent stimuli
- Responses are reinforced in the presence of one stimulus condition (sD) but responses are not reinforced in the presence of other stimulus (S Delta)
Antecedent stimuli class
a set of stimuli that share a common relationship and elicit the same respondent behavior
Feature Stimulus Class
stimuli share common physical forms or common relative relations
Arbitrary Stimulus Class
stimuli that evoke the same response but they do not share a common stimulus feature
Reflexivity
In the absence of training and reinforcement, a response will select a stimulus that is matches to itself.
A = A
Symmetry
Occurs with the reversibility of the sample stimulus and comparison stimulus
A = B then B = A
Transitivity
A derived untrained stimulus relation that emerges as a product of training two other stimulus - stimulus relations
A = B and B = C
Spoken word bike - The picture of a bike
Then The picture of a bike = the written work bike
Imitation
- Any physical movement to model imitation and the model is the antecedent stimulus that evokes it
- The imitation must occur within 3 seconds
- The model and behavior have formal similarity
- The model is the controlling variable
Formal Similarity
When the model and behavior physically resemble each other
Differential Reinforcement
A procedure in which reinforcement is provided for responses that share a predetermined dimension or quality and in which reinforcement is withheld for responses that do not demonstrate that quality
Response Differentiation
When differential reinforcement is applied consistently within a response class, its dual effects result in a new response class composed primarily of response sharing the characteristics of the previously reinforced subclass
Behavior Chain
A specific sequence of discrete responses, each associated with a particular stimulus condition
Behavior Chain with a Limited Hold
A sequence of behaviors must be performed correctly and within a specific time for reinforcement to be delivered
Task Analysis
Breaking a complex skill into smaller teachable units the product of which is a series of sequentially ordered steps or tasks
Extinction
when reinforcement of a previously reinforced behavior is discontinued
Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI)
Reinforces a behavior that cannot occur simultaneously with the problem behavior and withholds reinforcement following the instance of problem behavior
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior
reinforces occurrences of a behavior that provides a desirable alternative to the problem behavior but is not necessarily incompatible
Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior
Deliver a reinforcer whenever the problem behavior has not occurred during or at a specific times
Fixed Interval DRO (FI - DRO)
- interval of time is established
- delivers reinforcement at the end of the interval if the problem behavior did not occur during the interval
- Resets interval timer when problem behavior occurs
Variable Interval DRO (VI-DRO)
Reinforcement is delivered contingent on the absence of the targeted behavior during intervals of varying and unpredictable durations
Fixed Momentary DRO (FM - DRO_) and Variable Momentary DRO (VM - DRO)
reinforcement is contingent on the.absence of the problem behavior only when the interval ends (not throughout the entire interval)
Differential Reinforcement of low rates (DRL)
when reinforcement is applied as an intervention to reduce occurrences of a behavior but not completely eliminate it
e.g. constant hand raising
Full Session DRL
Reinforcement is delivered at the end of a session if during the entire session the target bx occurred at a number equal to or below. predetermined criterion
Interval DRL
a session is divided into equal intervals of time and reinforcement is provided at the end of each interval in which the number of occurrences of problem bx is at or below a predetermined criterion.
Spaced Responding DRL
reinforcement is delivered following an occurrence of a response that is separated by at least a minimum amount of time from the previous response
Noncontingent Reinforcement (NCR)
an antecedent intervention in which stimuli with known reinforcing properties are delivered on a fixed time or variable time schedule independent of the learner’s behavior
Functional Communication Training (FCT)
Establishes appropriate communicative behavior to compete with problem behaviors evoked by an establishing operation (EO)
Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
hypotheses about the relations among specific types of environmental events and behaviors
- identifies reinforcers maintaining problem behavior
Verbal Behavior
Behavior that is reinforced through the mediation of another person’s behavior
- A social interaction between speakers and listeners
Mand
A verbal operant in which the form of the response is under the functional control of motivating operations and specific reinforcement
Tact
A verbal operant under the functional control of nonverbal discriminative stimulus and it produces generalized conditioned reinforcement
Echoic
A verbal operant that consists of a verbal discriminative stimulus that has point to point correspondence and formal similarity
Formal Similarity
when the controlling antecedent stimulus and the response product share the same sense mode and physically resemble each other
Intraverbal
A verbal operant that consists of a verbal discriminative stimulus that evokes a verbal response that does not have point to point correspondence
Textual Relation
A verbal operant that consists of a verbal discriminative stimulus that has point to point correspondence between the stimulus and response but no formal similarity
Transcription Relation
A verbal operant that consists of a verbal discriminative stimulus that controls a written or typed response with point to point correspondence but no formal similarity
Contingency/Behavioral Contract
a document that specifies a contingent relationship between the completing of a specified behavior and access to a specified reward
- specifies how two people will behave toward each other
Token Economy
A behavior change system entailing a specified list of target behaviors, token or points received, and a menu of back up reinforcers for purchase
Independent Group Contingency
A contingency is presented to all members of a group but reinforcement is delivered to only those members who meet the criterion
Dependent Group Contingency
The reward for the whole group is dependent on the performance of an individual student or group
Interdependent Group Contingency
All members of a group meet the criterion of the contingency before any member earns the reward
Response Maintenace
The extent to which a learner continues to perform the target behavior after a portion or all of the intervention is terminated
Setting/Situation Generalization
the extent to which a learner emits the target behavior in a setting that is different from the instructional setting
Response Generalization
The learner emits untrained responses that are functionally equivalent to the trained target behavior
Multiple Exemplar Training
instruction that provides practice with a variety of response topographies helps to ensure the acquisition of desired response forms and also promotes response generalization
Programming Common Stimuli
including typical features of the generalization setting into the instructional setting
Teaching loosely
randomly varying noncritical aspects of the instructional setting within and across teaching sessions
