Assessing the Social Significance of Potential Target Behaviors/Habilitation

Question 1

What is the first thing to consider when selecting target behaviors?

Answer 1

Whose behavior is being assessed and changed and why.

Question 2

How should target behaviors not be selected?

Answer 2

Target behaviors should not be selected solely for the primary benefit of others.

Question 3

What is the central question for the guidelines of selecting target behaviors?

Answer 3

To what extent will the proposed behavior change improve the person’s life experience?

Question 4

What is habilitation?

Answer 4

“the degree to which the
person’s repertoire maximizes short- and long-term reinforcers
for that individual and for others, and minimizes short- and long-term punishers.” (Hawkins 1984)

Question 5

What are advantages of Hawkins (1984)’s definition of habilitation?

Answer 5

(a) is conceptually familiar to behavior analysts, (b)
defines treatment using measurable outcomes, (c) is applicable
to a wide range ofhabilitative activities, (d) deals with individual
and societal needs nonjudgmentally, (e) treats adjustment along
a non-deficit-driven, adaptive continuum, and (f) is culturally
and situationally relative.

Question 6

How does a potential target behavior meet the habilitation standards?

Answer 6

a) acquire additional reinforcers in the future and (b) avoid
potential punishers