Chapter One: Definitions and Characteristics of ABA

Question 1

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Answer 1

The science in which tactics derived from the principles of behavior are applied to improve socially significant behavior and experimentation is used to identify the variable responsible for the improvement of behavior.

Question 2

Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB)

Answer 2

A natural science approach to the study of behavior as a subject matter.
1. Founded by B.F. Skinner
2. Methodological features:
- rate or response as a basic dependent variable
- repeated/continuous measurement of clearly defined response classes (within subject experimental comparisons instead of group design)
- visual analysis of graphed data instead of statistical inference
- emphasis on describing functional relations between behavior and controlling variables in the environment (over formal theory testing

Question 3

Explanatory Fiction

Answer 3

A fictitious/hypothetical variable for the observed phenomenon it explains; Why an organism pushes the lever when the light is on and food is available but does not push the lever when the light is off and no food is available.

Question 4

Functional Relation

Answer 4

A verbal statement summarizing the results of an experiment (group of related experiments) that describes the occurrence of the phenomena under study as the function of the operation of one or more specified and controlled variables in the experiment in which a specific change in one event (dependent variable) can be produced by manipulating another event (independent variable); the change in the dependent variable was unlikely the result of other factors (confounding variables).
- expressed as b = f (x1), (x2); b = the behavior and x1, x2 are environmental variables of which behavior is a function

Question 5

Hypothetical Construct

Answer 5

A presumed but unobserved process or entity (e.g., Freud’s id, ego, super ego)

Question 6

Mentalism

Answer 6

An approach to explaining behavior that assumes a mental, or “inner,” dimension exists that differs from a behavioral dimension.
- this phenomena in this dimension directly causes (or mediate some forms of behavior)

Question 7

Methodological Behaviorism

Answer 7

A philosophical position that views behavioral events that cannot be publicly observed as outside the realm of science.
- influenced by Pavlov
- only looks at publicly observable events in their analysis of behavior
- not concerned with private events
- behavior should be studied by direct observation of the relationship between environmental stimuli and the response they bring about

Question 8

Radical Behaviorism

Answer 8

A form of behaviorism that attempts to understand all human behavior, including private events such as thought and feelings, in terms of controlling variables in the history of the person (ontogeny) and the species (phylogeny).
- B.F. Skinner is the father of radical behaviorism, which is the overriding philosophy in the field today
- assumptions about private events
1. private events are behavior
2. behavior within the skin is distinguished from public behavior by inaccessibility
- private behavior is a function of same variables as public behavior

Question 9

Science

Answer 9

A systematic approach to the understanding of natural phenomena (as evident by description, prediction, control) that relies on determinism as its fundamental assumption, empiricism as its primary rule, experimentation as its basic strategy, replication as a requirement for believability, parsimony as a value, and philosophic doubt as its guiding conscience.

Question 10

Behaviorism

Answer 10

The philosophy of a science of behavior; various forms.

Question 11

Determinism

Answer 11

The assumption that the universe is a lawful and orderly place in which phenomena occur in relation to other events and not in a willy-nilly accidental fashion.

Question 12

Empiricism

Answer 12

The objective observation of the phenomena of interest; objective observations are “independent of the individual prejudices, tastes, and private opinions of the scientist.”
- results of empirical methods are objective in that they are open to anyone’s observation and do not depend on the subjective belief of the individual scientist

Question 13

Experiment

Answer 13

A carefully controlled comparison of some measure of the phenomenon of interest (dependent variable) under two or more different conditions in which only one factor at a time (independent variable) differs from one condition to another.

Question 14

Parsimony

Answer 14

The practice of ruling out simple, logical explanations, experimentally or conceptually, before considering more complex or abstract explanations.

Question 15

Philosophic Doubt

Answer 15

An attitude that the truthfulness and validity of all scientific theory and knowledge should be continually questioned.

Question 16

Pragmatism

Answer 16

A philosophical position asserting that the truth value of a statement is determined by how well it promotes effective action.
- is a primary criterion by which behavior analysts judge the value of their findings

Question 17

Replication

Answer 17

(a) Repeating conditions within an experiment to determine the reliability of effects and increase internal validity.
(b) Repeating whole experiments to determine the generality of findings of previous experiments to other subjects, settings and/or behaviors.

Question 18

Functional Analysis

Answer 18

A term with two meanings in contemporary behavior analysis.
Original/Fundamental usage:
1. denotes demonstrations of functional relations between environmental variables and behavior

Determining purposes (functions) of behavior:
2. entails experimentally arranging antecedents and consequences representing those in the person’s natural routines so their separate effects on problem behavior can be observed and measured

Question 19

Selectionism

Answer 19

A theory that all forms of life naturally and continually evolve as a result of the interaction between function and the survival value of that function.
- operant selection by consequences is the conceptual and empirical foundation of behavior analysis