Cooper ABA Flashcards
A two-phase experimental design consisting of a pre-treatment baseline condition (A) followed by a treatment condition (B)
A-B Design
A three phase experimental design consisting of an initial baseline phase (A) until steady state responding (or countertherapeutic trend) is obtained, an intervention phase in which the treatment condition (B) is implemented until the behaviour has changed and steady state responding is obtained, and a return to baseline conditions (A) by withdrawing the independent variable to see whether responding reverses to levels observed in the initial baseline phase.
A-B-A Design
An experimental design consisting of (1) an initial baseline phase (A) until steady state responding (or countertherapeutic trend) is obtained, (2) an initial intervention phase in which the treatment variable (B) is implemented until the behaviour has changed and steady state responding is obtained, (3) a return to baseline conditions (A) by withdrawing the independent variable to see whether responding reverses to levels observed in the initial baseline phase, and (4) a second intervention phase (B) to see whether initial treatment effects are replicated.
A-B-A-B Design (also called reversal design, withdrawal design)
A decrease in the current frequency of behaviour that has been reinforced by the stimulus that is increased in reinforcing effectiveness by the same motivating operation. For example, food ingestion abates (decreases the current frequency of) behaviour that has been reinforced by food.
Abative effect (of a motivating operation)
A motivating operation that decreases the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event. For example, the reinforcing effectiveness of food is abolished as a result of food ingestion.
Abolishing Operation (AO)
The extent to which observed values, the data produced by measuring an event, match the true state, or true values, of the event as it exists in nature.
Accuracy (of measurement)
Behaviour that occurs as a collateral effect of a schedule of periodic reinforcement for other behaviour; time-filling or interim activities (e.g., doodling, idle talking, smoking, drinking) that are induced by schedules of reinforcement during times when reinforcement is unlikely to be delivered.
Adjunctive Behaviour (also called schedule-induced behaviour)
A three-step form of reasoning that begins with a true antecedent-consequent (if A-then-B) statement and proceeds as follows: (1) if A is true, then B is true; (2) B is found to be true; (3) therefore, A is true. Although other factors could be responsible for the truthfulness of A, a sound experiment affirms several if-A-then-B possibilities, each one reducing the likelihood of factors other than the independent variable being responsible for the observed changes in behaviour
Affirmation of the consequent
An experimental design in which two or more conditions (one of which may be a no-treatment control condition) are presented in rapidly alternating succession (e.g., on alternating sessions or days) independent of the level of responding; differences in responding between or among conditions are attributed to the effects of the conditions.
Alternating treatment design (also called concurrent schedule design, multielement design, multiple schedule design)
A form of direct, continuous observation in which the observer records a descriptive, temporally sequenced account of all behaviours of interest and the antecedent conditions and consequences for those behaviours as those events occur in the clients natural environment
Anecdotal Observation (also called ABC recording)
An environmental condition or stimulus change existing or occurring prior to a behaviour of interest
Antecedent
A behaviour change strategy that manipulates contingency-independent antecedent stimuli (motivating operations
Antecedent Intervention
A set of stimuli which share a common relationship. All stimuli in an antecedent stimulus class evoke the same operant behaviour, or elicit the same respondent behaviour
Antecedent stimulus class
The science in which tactics derived from the principles of behaviour are applied to improve socially significant behaviour and experimentation is used to identify the variables responsible for the improvement of behaviour
Applied behaviour analysis (ABA)
Antecedent stimuli that evoke the same response but do not resemble each other in physical form or share a relational aspect such as bigger or under (e.g., peanuts, cheese, coconut milk, and chicken breasts are members of an arbitrary stimulus class if they evoke the response ‘sources of protein’)
Arbitrary stimulus class
An outcome or result that appears to exist because of the way it is measured but in fact does not correspond to what actually occurred
Artifact
A data path that shows an increasing trend in the response measure over time
Ascending baseline
Anyone who functions as a discriminative stimulus evoking verbal behaviour. Different audiences may control different verbal behaviour about the same topic because of a differential reinforcement history. Teens may describe the same event in different ways when talking to peers versus parents.
Audience
A secondary verbal operant in which some aspect of a speakers own verbal behaviour functions as an SD or an MO for additional speaker verbal behaviour. The autoclitic relation can be thought of as verbal behaviour about verbal behaviour
Autoclitic
Punishment that occurs independent of the social mediation by others (i.e., a response product serves as a punisher independent of the social environment)
Automatic punishment
Reinforcement that occurs independent of the social mediation by others (e.g., scratching an insect bite relives the itch)
Automatic reinforcement
Refers to the fact that behaviour is modified by its consequence irrespective of the persons awareness; a person does not have to recognise or verbalise the relation between her behaviour and a reinforcing consequence, or even know that a consequence has occurred, for reinforcement to ‘work’
Automaticity (of reinforcement)
In general, an unpleasent or noxious stimulus; more technically, a stimulus change or condition that functions (a) to evoke a behaviour that has terminated it in the past; (b) as a punisher when presented following behaviour, and/or (c) as a reinforcer when withdrawn following behaviour
Aversive stimulus
A contingency in which a response prevents or postpones the presentations of a stimulus
Avoidance contingency
A three-phase experimental design that begins with the treatment condition. After steady state responding has been obtained during the initial treatment phase (B), the treatment variable is withdrawn (A) to see whether responding changes in the absence of the independent variable. The treatment variable is then reintroduced (B) in an attempt to recapture the level of responding obtained during the first treatment phase.
B-A-B Design
Tangible objects, activities or privileges that serve as reinforcers and that can be purchased with tokens
Backup Reinforcers
A teaching procedure in which a trainer completes all but the last behaviour in a chain, which is performed by the learner, who the receives reinforcement for completing the chain. When the learner show’s competence in performing the final step in the chain, the trainer performs all but the last two behaviours in the train, the learner emits the final two steps to complete the chain, and reinforcement is delivered. This sequence is continued until the learner completes the entire chain independently.
Backward Chaining
A backwards chaining procedure in which some steps in the task analysis are skipped; used to increase the efficiency of teaching long behaviour chains when there is evidence that the skipped steps are in the learner’s repertoire
Backwards chaining with leaps ahead
A simple and versatile graphic format for summarizing behavioural data; shares most of the line graph’s features except that it does not have distinct data points representing successive response measures through time.
Bar graph (also called a histogram)
A condition of an experiment in which the independent variable is not present; data obtained during baseline are the basis for determining the effects of the independent variable; a control condition that does not necessarily mean the absence of instruction or treatment, only the absence of a specific independent variable of experimental interest.
Baseline
A term sometimes used to refer to the experimental reasoning inherent in single-subject experimental designs; entails three elements: prediction, verification and replication
Baseline logic
The activity of living organisms; human behaviour includes everything that people do. A technical definition: ‘that portion of an organisms interaction with its environment that is characterised by detectable displacement in space through time of some part of the organism and that results in a measurable change in at least one aspect of the environment’
Behaviour
An alteration in the current frequency of behaviour that has been reinforced by the stimulus that has altered in effectiveness by the same motivating operation. For example, the frequency of behaviour that has been reinforced with food is increased or decreased by food deprivation or food ingestion
Behaviour-altering effect (of a motivating operation)
A sequence of responses in which each response produces a stimulus change that functions as conditioned reinforcement for that response and as a discriminative stimulus for the next response in a chain; reinforcement for the last response in the chain maintains the reinforcing effectiveness of the stimulus changes produced by all previous responses in the chain
Behaviour chain
An intervention that relies on the participants skill in performing the critical elements of a chain independently; the chain is interrupted occasionally so that another behaviour can be emitted
Behaviour chain interruption strategy
A contingency that specifies a time interval by which a behaviour chain must be completed for reinforcement to be delivered
Behaviour chain with limited hold
A technologically consistent method for changing behaviour derived from one or more principles of behaviour (e.g., differential reinforcement of other behaviour; response cost); possesses sufficient generality across subjects, settings, and’or behaviours to warrant its codification and dissemination
Behaviour change tactic
A checklist that provides descriptions of specific skills (usually in hierarchical order) and the conditions under which each skill should be observed. Some checklists are designed to assess one particular behaviour or skill area. Others address multiple behaviours or skill areas. Most use a Likert scale to rate responses.
Behaviour Checklist
An interrelated community of contingencies of reinforcement that can be especially powerful, producing substantial and long-lasting behaviour changes. Effective behaviour traps share four essential features:(a) they are ‘baited’ with virtually irresistible reinforcers that ‘lure’ the student to the trap; (b) only a low-effort response already in the students repertoire is necessary to enter the trap: (c) once inside the trap, interrelated contingencies of reinforcement motivate the student to acquire, extend, and maintain targeted academic and/or social skills; and (d) they can remain effective for a long time because students shows few if any, satiation effects
Behaviour Trap
A form of assessment that involves a full range of inquiry methods (observation, interview, testing, and the systematic manipulation of antecedent or consequence variables) to identify probable antecedent and consequent controlling variables. Behavioural assessment is designed to discover resources, assets, significant others, competing contingencies, maintenance and generality factors, and possible reinforcer and/or punishers that surround the potential target behaviour
Behaviour assessment
The phenomenon in which a change in one component of a multiple schedule that increases or decreases the rate of responding on that component is accompanied by a change in the response rate in the opposite direction on the other, unaltered component of the schedule
Behavioural Contrast
A behaviour that has sudden and dramatic consequences that extend well beyond the idiosyncratic change itself because it exposes the person to new environments, reinforcers, contingencies, responses, and stimulus controls
Behavioural cusp
A metaphor to describe a rate of responding and its resistance to change following an alteration in reinforcement conditions. The momentum metaphor has also been used to describe this effects produced by the high probability request sequence.
Behavioural momentum
The philosophy of a science of behaviour, there are various forms of behaviourism
Behaviourism
The extent to which the researcher convinces herself and others that the data are trustworthy and deserve interpretation. Measures of interobserver agreement (IOA) are the most often used index of believability in applied behaviour analysis.
Believability
A procedure for implementing response cost in which the person is provided s reservoir of reinforcers that are removed in predetermined amounts contingent on the occurrence of the target behaviour
Bonus response cost
Any procedure used to elevate the accuracy of a measurement system and, when sources of error are found, to use that information to correct or improve the measurement system
Calibration
The change (acceleration or deceleration) in rate of responding over time; based on count per unit of time (rate); expressed as a factor by which responding is accelerating or decelerating (multiplying or dividing), displayed with a trend line on a standard celeration chart. Celeration is a generic term without specific references to accelerating or decelerating rates of response
Celeration
A unit of time (e.g., per week, per month) in which celeration is plotted on a standard celeration chart
Celeration time period
The celeration trend line is measured as a factor by which rate multiplies or divides across the celeration time periods (e.g., rate per week, rate per month, rate per year, an rate per decade)
Celeration trend line
A schedule of reinforcement in which the response requirement of two or more basic schedules must be met in a specific sequence before reinforcement is delivered; a discriminative stimulus is correlated with each component of the schedule
Chained schedule
Various procedures for teaching behaviour chains
Chaining
An experimental design in which an initial baseline phase is followed by a series of treatment phases consisting of successive and gradually changing criterion for reinforcement or punishment. Experimental control is evidenced by the extent the level of responding changes to confirm to each new criterion
Changing criterion design
A term popularised by Pryor (1999) for shaping behaviour used conditioned reinforcement in the form of an auditory stimulus. A handheld device produces a click sound when pressed. The trainer pairs other forms of reinforcement (e.g., edible treats) with the click sound so that the sound becomes a conditioned reinforcer
Clicker training
Any experiment designed to identify the active elements of a treatment condition, the relative contributions of different variables in a treatment package, and/or the necessary and sufficient components of an intervention. Component analyses take many forms, but the basic strategy is to compare levels of responding across successive phases in which the intervention is implemented with one or more components left out
Component analysis
A schedule of reinforcement consisting of two or more elements of continuous reinforcement (CRF) the four intermittent schedules of reinforcment (FR, VR, FI, VI), differential reinforcement of various rates of responding (DRL, DRH) and extinction. The elements from these basic schedules can occur successively or simultaneously and with or without discriminative stimulus, reinforcement may be contingent on meeting the requirements of each element of the schedule independently or in combination with all elements
Compound Schedule
A complex example of stimulus control that requires stimulus generalisation within a class of stimuli an discrimination between classes of stimuli
Concept formation
A schedule of reinforcement in which two or more contingencies of reinforcement (elements) operate independently and simultaneously for two or more behaviours
Concurrent schedule (Conc)
The likelihood that a target behaviour will occur in a given circumstances; computed by calculating (a) the proportion of occurrences of behaviour that were preceded by a specific antecedent variable and (b) the proportion of occurrences of problem behaviour that were followed by a specific consequence. Conditional probabilities range from 0.0 to 1.0; the closer the conditional probability it to 1.0 the stronger the relationship is between the target behaviour and the antecedent/consequence variable.
Conditional probability
A motivating operation whose value-altering effect depends on a learning history. For example, because of the relation between locked doors and keys, having to open a locked door is a CMO that makes keys more effective as reinforcers, and evokes behaviour that has obtained such keys
Conditioned motivating operations
A previously neutral stimulus change that functions as a negative reinforcer because of prior pairing with one or more negative reinforcers
Conditioned negative reinforcers
A previously neutral stimulus change that functions as a punisher because of prior pairing with one or more other punishers
Conditioned punisher (also called secondary or learned punishers)
A learned stimulus-response functional relation consisting of an antecedent stimulus (e.g., sound of refrigerator door opening) and the response it elicits (e.g., salivation) each persons repertoire of conditioned reflexes is the product of his or her history of interactions with the environment (ontogeny).
Conditioned reflex
A stimulus change that functions as a reinforcer because of prior pairing with one or more other reinforcers; sometimes called secondary or learned reinforcer
Conditioned reinforcer
The stimulus component of a conditioned reflex; a formerly neutral stimulus change that elicits respondent behaviour only after it has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US) or another CS
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
Describes a situation of trust insofar as any information regarding a person perceiving or having received services may not be discussed with or otherwise made available to another person or group, unless that person has provided explicit authorization for release of such information
Confidentiality
A situation in which a person in a position of responsibility or trust has competing professional or personal interest that make it difficult to fulfil his or her duties impartially
Conflict of Interest
An uncontrolled factor known or suspected to exert influence on the independent variable
Confounding variable
A stimulus change that follows a behaviour of interest. Some consequences, especially those that are immediate and relevant to current motivational states, have significant influence on future behaviour; others have little effect
Consequence
Refers to dependent and/or temporal relations between operant behaviour and its controlling variable
Contingency
A mutually agreed upon document between parties (e.g., parent and child) that specifies a contingent relationship between the completion of specified behaviours and access to specified reinforcers
Contingency contract
exchanging the reinforcement contingencies for two topographically different responses. For example, if behaviour A results in reinforcement on an FR1 schedule of reinforcement and behaviour B results in reinforcement being withheld (extinction), a contingency reversal consists of changing the contingencies such that behaviour A now results in extinction and behaviour B results in reinforcement on a FR1 schedule.
Contingency reversal
Describes reinforcement (or punishment) that is delivered only after the target behaviour has occurred
Contingent
A procedure for implementing time-out in which the person is repositioned with an existing setting such that observation of ongoing activities remains, but access to reinforcement is lost
Contingent observation
Measurement conducted in a manner such that all instances of the response class(es) of interest are detected during the observaion perod
Continuous measurement
A schedule of reinforcement that provides reinforcement for each occurrence of the target behaviour
Continuous reinforcement (CRF)
Any contingency of reinforcement )or punishment) designed and implemented by a behaviour analyst or practitioner to achieve the acquisition, maintenance and/or generalisation of targeted behaviour change
Contrived contingency
Any stimulus made functional for the target behaviour in the instructional setting that later prompts or aids the learner in performing the target behaviour in a generalisation setting
Contrived mediating stimulus
An element of verbal operant that is evoked by a nonvocal discriminative stimulus that has point-to-point correspondence and formal similarity with the controlling response
Copying a text
A simple tally of the number of occurrences of a behaviour. The observation period, or counting time, should always be noted when reporting count measures
Count
The period of time in which a count of the number of responses emitted was recorded
Counting time
A type of graph on which the cumulative number of responses emitted is represented on the vertical axis; the steeper the slope of the data path, the greater the response rate
Cumulative record
A device that automatically draws cumulative records (graphs) that show the rate of response in real time; each time a response is emitted, a pen moves upwards across a paper that continuously moves at a constant speed
Cumulative recorder
The results of measurement, usually in quantifiable form; in applied behaviour analysis,it refers to measures of some quantifiable dimension of a behaviour
Data
The level and trend of behaviour between successive data points; created by drawing a straight line from the center of each data point in a given data set to the center of the next data point in the same set
Data path
A variation of the multiple baseline design in which an initial baseline, and perhaps intervention, are begun for one behaviour (or setting or subject), and subsequent baselines for additional behaviours are begun in a staggered or delayed fashion
Delayed multiple baseline design
A contingency in which reinforcement for all members of the group is dependent on the behaviour of one member of the group or the behaviour of a select group of members with the larger group
Dependent group contingency
The variable in an experiment measured to determine if it change as a result of manipulations of the independent variable; in applied behaviour analysis, it represents some measure of socially significant behaviour
Dependent variable
The state of an organism with respect to how much time has elapsed since it has consumed or contracted a particular type of reinforcer; also refers to a procedure for increasing the effectiveness of a reinforcer (e.g., withholding a persons access to a reinforcer for a specified period of time prior to a session)
Deprivation
A data path that shows a decreasing trend in the response measure over time
Descending baseline
Direct observation of problem behaviour and the antecedent and consequent events under naturally occurring conditions
Descriptive functional behaviour assessment
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
Determinism
Reinforcing only those responses within a response class that meet a specific criterion along some dimension(s) (i.e., frequency, topography, duration, latency or magnitude) and placing all other responses in the class on extinction
Differential reinforcement
A procedure for decreasing problem behaviour in which reinforcement is delivered for a behaviour that serves as a desirable alternative to the behaviour targeted for reduction and withheld following instances of the problem behaviour (e.g., reinforcing completion of academic worksheet item when the behaviour targeted for reduction is talk-outs)
Differential reinforcement of alternative behaviour (DRA)
A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement is provided at the end of a predetermined interval contingent on the number of responses emitted during the interval being fewer than a gradually decreasing criterion based on the individuals performance in previous intervals (e.g., fewer than five responses per 5 minutes, fewer than four responses per 5 minutes, fewer than 3 responses per five minutes)
Differential reinforcement of diminishing rates (DRD)
A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement is provided at the end of a predetermined interval contingent on the number of responses emitted during the interval being greater than a gradually increasing criterion based on the individuals performance in previous trials (e.g.,more than 3 responses per 5 minutes, more than 5 responses per 5 minutes, more than eight response per 5 minutes)
Differential reinforcement of high rates (DRH)
A procedure for decreasing problem behaviour in which reinforcement is delivered for a behaviour that is topographically incompatible with the behaviour targeted for reduction and withheld following instances of the problem behaviour (e.g., sitting in seat is incompatible with walking around the room)
Differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviour (DRI)
A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement (a) follows each occurrence of behaviour that is separated from the previous response by a minimum interresponse time (IRT) or (b) is contingent on the number of response within a period of time not exceeding a predetermined criterion. Practitioners use DRL schedules to increase the rate of behaviours that occur too frequently but should be maintained in the learners repertoire.
Differential reinforcement of low rates (DRL)
A procedure for decreasing problem behaviour in which reinforcement is contingent on the absence of the problem behaviour during or at specified times (i.e., momentary DRO); sometimes called differential reinforcement of zero rates of responding or omission training)
Differential reinforcement of other behaviour (DRO)
Occurs when the behaviour that is measured is the same as the behaviour that is the focus of the investigation
Direct measure
An experiment in which the researcher attempts to duplicate exactly the conditions of an earlier experiment
Direct replication
Any operant whose response rate is controlled by a given opportunity to emit the response, Each discrete response occurs when an opportunity to respond exists. Discrete trial, restricted operant, and controlled operant are synonymous terms.
Discrete trial
Measurement conducted in a manner such that some instances of the response class(es) of interest may not be detected
Discontinuous measurement
A contingency in which responding in the presence of a signal prevents the onset of a stimulus from which escape is a reinforcer
Discriminated avoidance
An operant that occurs more frequently under some antecedent conditions than under others
Discriminated operant
A stimulus in the presence of which responses of some type have been reinforced and in the absence of which the same type of responses have occurred and not been reinforced; this history of differential reinforcement is the reason an SD increases the momentary frequency of the behaviour.
Discriminated stimulus (SD)
A procedure that prevents the subject and the observer(s) from detecting the presence or absence of the treatment variable; used to eliminate confounding of results by subject expectations, parent and teacher expectations, differential treatment by others and observer bias
Double-blind control
An experimental technique that demonstrates the effects of reinforcement; it uses differential reinforcement of an incompatible or alternative behaviour (DRI/DRA) as a control condition instead of a no-reinforcement (baseline) condition. During the DRA/DRI condition, the stimulus change used as reinforcement in the reinforcement conditions s presented contingent on occurrences of a specified behaviour that is either incompatible with the target behaviour or an alternative to the target behaviour. A higher level of responding during the reinforcement condition than during the DRA/DRI condition demonstrates that the changes in behaviour are the result of contingent reinforcement, not simply the presentation of or contact with the stimulus event.
DRA/DRI reversal technique
An experimental technique for demonstrating the effects of reinforcement by using differential reinforcement of other behaviour (DRO) as a control condition instead of a no-reinforcement (baseline) condition. During the DRO condition, the stimulus changes used as reinforcement in the reinforcement condition is presented contingent on the absence of the target behaviour for a specified time period. A higher level of responding during the reinforcement condition than during the DRO condition demonstrates that change in behaviour are the result of contingent reinforcement not simply the presentation of or contact with the stimulus event
DRO reversal technique
A measure of the total extent of time in which a behaviour occurs
Duration
An elementary verbal operant involving a response that is evoked by a verbal discriminative stimulus that has point-to-point correspondence and formal similarity with the response
Echoic
An assessment protocol that acknowledges complex interrelationships between environment and behaviour. An ecological assessment is a method for obtaining data across multiple settings and persons.
Ecological assessment
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’
Empiricism
The conglomerate of real circumstances in which the organism or referenced part of the organism exists, behaviour cannot occur in the absence of environment
Environment
A contingency in which a response terminates (produces escape from) an ongoing stimulus
Escape contingency
Behaviours maintained with negative reinforcement are placed on escape extinction when those behaviours are not followed by termination of the aversive stimulus; emitting the target behaviour does not enable the person to escape the aversive situation
Escape extinction
A motivating operation (MO) that establishes (increases) the effectiveness of some stimulus, object or event as a reinforcer. For example, food deprivation establishes food as an effective reinforcer.
Establishing operation
Statements that provide guidelines for members of professional associates when deciding a course of action or conducting professional duties; standards by which graduated sanctions (e.g., reprimand, censure, expulsion) can be imposed for deviating from the code.
Ethical codes of Behaviour
Behaviours, practices, and decisions that address such basic and fundamental questions as: what is the right thing to do? Whats worth doing? what does it mean to be a good behaviour analytic practitioner?
Ethics
Measurement procedure for obtaining a tally or count of the number of times a behaviour occurs
Event recording
An increase in the current frequency of behaviour that has been reinforced by the stimulus that is increased in reinforcing effectiveness by the same motivating operation. For example, food deprivation evokes (increase in the current frequency of) behaviour that has been reinforced by food
Evocative effect (of a motivating operation)
The percentage of total intervals in which two observes recorded the same count; the most stringent description of IOA for most data sets obtained by event recording.
Exact count-per-interval IOA
A procedure for implementing time-out in which, contingent on the occurrence of a target behaviour, the person is removed physically from the current environment for a specified period
Exclusion time-out
A carefully controlled comparison of some measure of the phenomenon of interest (the dependent variable) under two or more different conditions in which only one factor at a time (the independent variable) differs from one condition to another
Experiment
A natural science approach to the study of behaviour as a subject matter in its own right founded by B. F. Skinner; methodological features include rate of response as a basic dependent variable, repeated or continuous measurement of clearly defined response classes, within subject experimental comparisons instead of group design, visual analysis of graphed data instead of statistical inference, and an emphasis on describing functional relations between behaviour and controlling variables in the environment over formal theory testing
Experimental analysis of behaviour (EAB)
Two meanings: (a) the outcome of an experiment that demonstrates convincingly a functional relation, meaning that experimental control is achieved when a predictable change in behaviour (the dependent variable) can be reliably produced by manipulating a specific aspect of the environment (the independent variable); and (b) the extent to which a researcher maintains precise control of the independent variable by presenting it, withdrawing it, and/or varying its value, and also by eliminating or holding constant all confounding and extraneous variables
Experimental Control
The particular type and sequence of conditions in a study so that meaningful comparisons for the effects of the presence and absence (or different values) of the independent variable can be made
Experimental Design
A statement of what the researcher seeks to learn by conducting the experiment; may be presented in question form and is most often found in a published account as a statement of the experimenters purpose. All aspects of an experiments design should follow from the experimental question (also called research question)
Experimental Question
A fictitious or hypothetical variable that often takes the form of another name for the observed phenomenon it claims to explain and contribute nothing to a functional account or understanding of the phenomenon. such as intelligence or cognitive awareness as explanations for 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
Explanatory Fiction
The degree to which a studys findings have generality to other subjects, settings and/or behaviours
External validity
The discontinuing of a reinforcement of a previously reinforced behaviour (i.e., responses no longer produce reinforcement); the primary effect is a decrease in the frequency of the behaviour until it reaches a prereinforced level or ultimately ceases to occur
Extinction (operant)
An increase in the frequency of responding when an extinction procedure is initially implemented
Extinction burst
Any aspect of the experimental setting (e.g., lighting, temperature) that must be held constant to prevent unplanned environmental variations
Extraneous variable
A procedure for transferring stimulus control in which features of an antecedent stimulus (e.g., shape, size, position, colour) controlling a behaviour are gradually changed to a new stimulus while maintaining the current behaviour; stimulus features can be faded in (enhanced) or faded out (reduced)
Fading
Stimuli that share common physical forms or structures (e.g., made of wood, four legs, round, blue) or common relative relationships (e.g., bigger than, hotter than, higher than, next to)
Feature stimulus class
A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement is delivered for the first response emitted following the passage of a fixed duration of time since the last response was reinforced (e.g., on an FI 3-minute schedule, the first response following the passage of 3 minutes is reinforced)
Fixed interval (FI)
A DRO procedure in which reinforcement is available at the end of intervals of fixed duration and delivered contingent on the absence of the problem behaviour during each interval
Fixed Interval DRO (FI-DRO)
A DRO procedure in which reinforcement is available at specific moments of time, which are separated by a fixed amount of time, and delivered contingent on the problem not occurring at those moments
Fixed-momentary DRO
A schedule of reinforcement requiring a fixed number of responses for reinforcement (e.g., an FR 4 schedule of reinforcement follows every fourth response
Fixed ratio
A schedule for the delivery of non-contingent stimuli in which a time interval remains the same from one delivery to the next
Fixed-time schedule (FT)
A situation that occurs when the controlling antecedent stimulus and the response or response product (a) share the same sense mode (e.g., both stimulus response are visual, auditory, or tactile) and (b) physically resemble each other. The verbal relations with with formal similarity are echoic, copying a text, and imitation as it relates to sign language
Formal similarity
A method for teaching behaviour chains that begins with the learner being prompted and taught to perform the first behaviour in the task analysis; the trainer completes the remaining steps in the chain. When the learner shows competence in performing the first step in the chain, he is then taught to perform the first two behaviours in the chain, with the training completing the chain. This process is continued until the learner completes the entire chain independently
Forward chaining
Any operant behaviour that results in minimal displacement of the participant in time and space. A free operant can can be emitted at nearly any time; it is discrete, it requires minimal time for completion, and it can produce a wide range of response rates. Examples in ABA include (a) the number of words read during a 1-minute counting period, (b) the number of hand slaps per 6 seconds, and (c) the number of letter strokes written in 3 minutes
Free operant
A contingency in which responses at any time during an interval prior to the scheduled onset of an aversive stimulus delays the presentation of the aversive stimulus
Free operant avoidance
A ratio of count per observation time; often expressed as count per standard unit of time (e.g., per minute, per hour, per day) and calculated by dividing the number of responses recorded by the number of standard units of time in which observations were conducted; used interchangeably with rate
Frequency
A procedure for implementing DRL in which reinforcement is delivered at the end of the session if the total number of responses emitted during the session does not exceed a criterion limit
Full-session DRL
A relatively permanent change in an organisms repertoire of MO, stimulus and response relations, caused by reinforcement, punishment, an extinction procedure, or a recovery from punishment procedure. Respondent function-altering effects result from the pairing and unpairing of antecedent stimuli
Function-altering effect (relevant to operant relations)`
Designates responses as members of the targeted response class solely in terms of their common effect on the environment
Function-based definition
(as part of functional behaviour assessment) An analysis of the purposes (functions) of problem behaviour, wherein antecedents and consequences representing those in the persons natural routines are arranged within an experimental design so that their separate effects on problem behaviour can be observed and measured; typically consists of four conditions; three test conditions- contingent attention, contingent escape, and alone - and a control condition in which problem behaviour is expected to be low because reinforcement is freely available and no demands are placed on the person
Functional analysis
A systematic method of assessment for obtaining information about the purposes (functions) a problem behaviour serves for a person; results are used to guide the design of an intervention for decreasing the problem behaviour and increasing appropriate behaviour
Functional behaviour assessment
an antecedent intervention in which an appropriate communication behaviour is taught as a replacement behaviour for problem behaviour usually evoked by an establishing operation (EO); involves differential reinforcement of alternative behaviour (DRA)
Functional communication training (FCT)
A verbal statement summarising the results of an experiment (or group of related experiments) that describes the occurrence of the phenomena under study as a function of the operation of one or more specified and controlled variables in the experiment in which a specific change in one event (the dependent variable) can be produced by manipulating another event (the independent variable), and that the change in the dependent variable was unlikely the result of the other factors (confounding variables); in behaviour analysis expressed as b=f(x1), (x2),…. where b is the behaviour and x1, x2 etc.. are environmental variables of which the behaviour is a function
Functional relation
Serving the same function or purpose; different topographies of behaviour are functionally equivalent if they produce the same consequences
Functionally equivalent
A systematic process for identifying and selecting teaching examples that represent the full range of stimulus variations and response requirements in the generalisation setting(s)
General case analysis
A generic term for a variety of behavioural processes and behaviour change outcomes
Generalisation
Changes in the behaviour of people not directly treated by an intervention as a function of treatment contingencies applied to other people
Generalisation across subjects
Any measurement of a learners performance of a target behaviour in a setting and/or stimulus situation in which direct training has not been provided
Generalisation probe
Any place or stimulus situations that differs in some meaningful way from the instructional setting and in which performance of the target behaviour is desired
Generalisation setting
A behaviour change that has not been taught directly. Generalised outcomes take one, or a combination of, three primary forms: response maintenance, stimulus/setting generalisation, and response generalisation. Sometimes called generalised outcome
Generalised behaviour change
A stimulus change that, as a result of having been paired with many other punishers, functions as punishment under most conditions because it is free from the control of motivating conditions for specific types of punishment
Generalised conditioned punisher
A conditioned reinforcer that as a result of having been paired with many other reinforcers does not depend on an establishing operations for any particular form of reinforcement for its effectiveness
Generalised conditioned reinforcer
A tact evoked by a novel stimulus that shares all of the relevant or defining features associated with the original stimulus
Generic (tact) extension
A visual format for displaying data, reveals relations among and between a series of measurements and relevant variables
Graph
A contingency in which reinforcement for all members of a group is dependent on the behaviour of (a) a person within the group, (b) a select group of members within the larger group, or (c) each member of the group meeting a performance criterion
Group contingency
Habilitation (adjustment) occurs when a person repertoire has been changed such that short- and long-term reinforcers are maximised and short- and long-term punishers are minimised
Habilitation
A multiple-component treatment package for reducing unwanted habits such as fingernail biting and muscle tics; treatment typically includes self-awareness training involving response detection and procedures for identifying events that precede and trigger the response; competing response training; and motivation techniques including elf-administered consequences, social support systems, and procedures for promoting the generalisation and maintenance of treatment gains
Habit reversal
A decrease in responsiveness to repeated presentations of a stimulus; most often used to describe a reduction of respondent behaviour as a function of repeated presentation of eliciting stimulus over a short span of time; some researchers suggest that the concept also apples to within-session changes in operant behaviour
Habituation
A procedure for implementing time-out in which, contingent on the occurrence of an inappropriate behaviour, the student is removed from the classroom to a hallway location near the room for a specified period of time
Hallway time-out
Another term for a dependent group contingency (i.e., a person earns a reward for the group
hero procedure
An antecedent intervention in which two to five easy tasks with a known history of learner compliance (the high-p requests are presented in quick succession immediately before requesting the target task, the low-p request. Also called interspersed requests, pretask requests, or behavioural momentum
High-probability (high-p) request sequence
Development of a conditioned reflex by pairing of a neutral stimulus (NS) with a conditioned stimulus (CS). Also called secondary conditioning
Higher order conditioning
An inclusive term referring in general to all of a persons learning experiences and more specifically to past conditioning with respect to particular response classes or aspects of a persons repertoire
History of reinforcement
A presumed but unobserved process or entity (e.g., Freud’s id, ego and super ego)
Hypothetical construct
A behaviour controlled by any physical movement that serves as a novel model excluding vocal-verbal behaviour, has formal similarity with the model, and immediately follows the occurrence of the model (e.g., within seconds of the model presentation). An imitative behaviour is a new behaviour emitted following a novel antecedent event (i.e., the model).
Imitation
A verbal operant involving a response that is evoked by both an MO and a nonverbal stimulus; thus, the response is part mand and part tact.
Impure tact
A contingency in which reinforcement for each member of a group is dependent on that person’s meeting a performance criterion that is in effect for all members of the group
Independent group contingency
The variable that is systematically manipulated by the researcher in an experiment to see whether changes in the independent variable produce reliable changes in the dependent variable. In applied behaviour analysis, it is usually an environmental event or condition antecedent or consequent to the dependent variable. Sometimes called the intervention or treatment variable
Independent variable
Structured interviews, checklists, rating scales, or questionnaires used to obtain information from people who are familiar with the person exhibiting the problem behaviour (e.g., teachers, parents, caregivers, and/or the individual him-or herself); used to identify conditions or events in the natural environment that correlate with the problem behaviour
Indirect functional assessment
Occurs when the behaviour that is measured is in some way different from the behaviour of interest considered less valid than direct measurement because inferences about the relation between the data obtained and the actual behaviour of interest are required
Indirect measurement
A contingency that makes it difficult for the learner to discriminate whether the next response will produce reinforcement. practitioners use indiscriminable contingencies in the form of intermittent schedules of reinforcement and delayed rewards to promote generalised behaviour change.
Indiscriminable contingency
when the potential recipient of the service or participant in a research study gives his explicit permission before any assessment or treatment is provided. Full disclosure of effects and side effects must be provided. To give consent, the person must (a) demonstrate the capacity to decide, (b) do so voluntarily, and (c) have adequate knowledge of all salient aspects of the treatment.
Informed consent
The environment where instruction occurs; includes all aspects of the environment, planned and unplanned, that may influence the learners acquisition and generalisation of the target behaviour.
Instructional setting
A contingency in which reinforcement for all members of a group is dependent on each member of the group meeting a performance criterion that is in effect for all members of the group.
Interdependent group contingency
A contingency of reinforcement in which some, but not all, occurrences of behaviour produce reinforcement.
Intermittent schedule of reinforcement (INT)
To extent of which an experiment shows convincingly that changes in behaviour are a function of the independent variable and not the result of uncontrolled or unknown variables.
Internal Validity
The degree to which two or more independent observers report the same observed values after measuring the same event.
Interobserver Agreement (IOA)
A measure of temporal locus; defined as the elapsed time between two successive responses
Interresponse Time (IRT)
An index of the agreement between observers for data obtained by interval recording or time sampling measurement; calculated for a given session or measurement period by comparing two observer’s recording of the occurrence or nonoccurrence of the behaviour in each observation interval and dividing the number of intervals of agreement by the total number of intervals and multypling by 100. Also called the point-by-point or total interval IOA.
Interval-by-interval IOA
A procedure for implementing DRL in which total session is divided into equal intervals and reinforcement is provided at the end of each interval in which the number of responses during the interval is equal to or below a criterion limit.
Interval DRL
An elementary verbal operant that is evoked by a verbal discriminative stimulus and that does not have point-to-point correspondence with the verbal stimulus.
Intraverbal
A situation that occurs when the level of responding observed in a previous phase cannot be reproduced even though the experimental conditions are the same as the were during the earlier phase.
Irreversibilty
A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement is contingent on a response being different in some specified way from the previous response or a specified number of previous responses.
Lag Reinforcement Schedule
The value on the vertical axis around which a series of behavioural measures converge.
Level
A component of some token economy systems in which participants advance up (or down) through a succession of levels contingent on their behaviour at the current level. The performance criteria and sophistication or difficulty of the behaviours required at each level are higher than those of preceeding levels; as participants advance to higher levels, they gain access to more desirable reinforcers, increased privileges and greater independence.
Level System
A situation in which reinforcement is available only during a finite time following the elapse of an FI or VI interval; if the target response does not occur with the time limit, reinforcement is withheld and a new interval begins (e.g., on a FI 5-minute Schedule with a limited hold of 30s, the first correct response following the time elapse of 5 minutes is reinforced only if that response occurs within 30s after the end of the 5 minute interval).
Limited Hold
Basted on a Cartesian Plane, a two-dimensional area formed by the intersection of two perpendicular lines. Any point within the plane represents a specific relation between the two-dimensions described by the intersecting lines. It is the most common graphic format for displaying data in applied behaviour analysis.
Line Graph
Someone who provides reinforcement for verbal behaviour. A listener may also serve as an audience evoking verbal behaviour.
Listener
The average rate of response during a smaller period of time within a larger period for which an overall response rate has been given.
Local Response Rate
The force of intensity with which a response is emitted; provides important quantitative parameters used in defining and verifying the occurrence of some response classes. Responses meeting those criteria are measured and reported by one or more fundamental or derivative measures such as frequency, duration or latency. Sometimes called amplitude.
Magnitude
Two different meanings in applied behaviour analysis; (a) the extent to which the learner continues to perform the target behaviour after a portion or all the intervention has been terminated (i.e.,response maintenance), a dependent variable or characteristic of behaviour; and (b) a condition in which treatment has been discontinued or partially withdrawn, an independent variable or experimental condition.
Maintenance
An elementary verbal operant that is evoked by an MO and followed by specific reinforcement.
Mand
A self-directed behaviour change technique in which the person forces himself to perform an undesired behaviour (e.g., a compulsive ritual) repeatedly, which sometimes decreases the future frequency of the behaviour.
Massed Practice
The allocation of responses to choices available on concurrent schedules of reinforcement; rates of responding across choices are distributed in proportions that match the rate of reinforcement recieved from each choice alternative.
Matching Law
A procedure for investigating conditional relations and stimulus equivalence. A match-to-sample trial begins with the participant making a response that presents or reveals that sample stimulus; next, the sample stimulus may or may not be removed, and two or more comparison stimuli are presented. The participant then selects one of the comparison stimuli. Responses that select a comparison stimuli that matches the sample stimulus are reinforced, and no reinforcement is provided for responses selecting the non-matching comparison stimuli.
Matching-to-Sample
The avergae percentage of agreement between the counts reported by two observes in a measurement period comprised of series of smaller counting times; a more conservative measure of IOA than total count IOA.
Mean count-per-interval IOA
An IOA index for duration per occurrence data; also a more conservative and usually more meaningful assessment of IOA for total duration data calculated for a given session or measurement period by computing the average percent of agreement of durations reported by two observers for each occurrence of the target behaviour.
Mean Duration-per-occurrence IOA
Nonrandom measurement error; form of inaccurate measurement in which the data consistently overestimate or underestimate the true values of an event.
Measurement Bias
A method of measuring behaviour after it has occurred by recording the effects that behaviour produced on the environment.
Measurement by Permanent Product
An approach to explaining behaviour hat assumes that a mental or inner dimension exists that differs from a behavioural dimension and that phenomena in this dimension either directly cause or at least mediate some forms of behaviour, if not all.
Mentalism
A tact evoked by a novel stimulus that shares some, but not all, of the relevant features of the original stimulus.
Metaphorical (tact) extension
A philosophical position that views behavioural events that cannot be publicly observed outside the realm of science.
Methdological behaviourism
A tact evoked by a novel stimulus that shares none of the relevant features of the original stimulus configuration, but some irrelevant yet related feature has acquired stimulus control
Metonymical (tact) extension
A compound schedule of reinforcement consisting or two or more basic schedules or reinforcment (element) that occur in an alternating, usually random, sequence; no discriminative stimuli are correlated with the presence of or absence of each element of the scedule, and reinforcement is delivered for meeting the response requirements of the element in effect at any time.
Mixed Schedule (MIX)
A measurement method in which the presence or absence of behaviours are recorded at precisely specified time intervals.
Momentary Time Sampling
An environmental variable that (a) alter (increases or decreases) the reinforcing or punishing effectiveness of some stimulus, object or event; and (b) alters (increases or decreases) the current frequency of all behaviour that has been reinforced or punished by that stimulus, object or event.
Motivating Operation
A multiple baseline design in which the treatment variable is applied to two or more different behaviours of the same subject in the same setting.
Multiple Baseline Across Behaviours Design
A multiple baseline design in which the treatment variable is applied to the same behaviour of two or more subjects (or groups) in the same setting.
Multiple Baseline Across Subjects Design
A multiple baseline design in which the treatment variable is applied to the same behaviour of the same subject across two or more different settings, situations or time periods.
Multiple baseline Across Settingd Design
An experimental design that begins with the concurrent measurement of two or more behaviours in a baseline condition, followed by the application of the treatment variable to one of the behaviours while baseline conditions remain in effect for the other behaviour(s). After maximum change has been noted in the first behaviour, the treatment variable is applied in sequential fashion to of the other behaviours in the design. Experimental control is demonstrated if each behaviour shows similar changes when, and only when, the treatment variable is introduced.
Multiple Baseline Design
There are two types of multiple control: (a) convergent multiple control occurs when a single verbal response is a function of more than one variable and (b) what is said has more than one antecedent source of control. Divergent multiple control occurs when a single antecedent variable affects the strength of more than one response.
Multiple Control (of Verbal Behaviour)
Instruction that provides the learner with practice with a variety of stimulus conditions, response variations, and response topographies to ensure the acquisition of desired stimulus controls response forms; used to promote both settings/situation generalisation and response generalisation.
Multiple Exemplar Training
A variation of the multiple baseline design that features intermittent measures, or probes, during baseline. It is used to evaluate the effects of instruction on skill sequences in which it is unlikely that the subject can improve performance on later steps in the sequence before learning prior steps.
Multiple Probe Design
A compound schedule of reinforcement consisting of two or more basic schedules of reinforcement (elements) that occur in an alternating, usually random, sequence; a discriminative stimulus is correlated with the presence or absence of each element of the schedule, and reinforcement is delivered for meeting the response requirements of the element in effect at any time.
Multiple Schedule (mult)
The effects of one treatment on a subjects behaviour being confounded by the influence of another treatment administered in the same study.
Multiple Treatment Interference
Any experimental design that uses the experimental methods and logic of the reversal tactic to compare the effects of two or more experimental conditions to baseline and/or to another (e.g., ABAB, ABCBC, ABACADADACAD, ABABB+CBB+C)
Multiple Treatment Reversal Design
An observe who is unaware of the study’s purpose and/or the experimental conditions in effect during a given phase or observation period. Data obtained by a naive observer are less likely to be influenced by observers expectations
Naive Observer
Any contingency of reinforcement (or punishment) that operates independent of the behaviour analyst’s or practitioners efforts; includes socially mediated contingencies contrived by other people and already in effect in the relevant setting.
Naturally Existing Contingency
A response behaviour is followed immediately by the removal of a stimulus (or decrease in the intensity of the stimulus), that decreases the future frequency of similar response under similar conditions; sometimes called Type II Punishment.
Negative Punishment
A stimulus whose termination (or reduction in intensity) functions as reinforcement.
Negative Reinforcer
A stimulus change that does not elicit respondent behaviour.
Neutral Stimulus (NS)
A procedure in which stimuli with known reinforcing properties are presented on fixed-time (FT) or variable-time (VT) schedules completely independent of behaviour; often used as an antecedent intervention to reduce problem behaviour.
Noncontingent Reinforcement (NCR)
An experimental control technique that demonstrates the effects of reinforcement by using noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) as a control condition instead of a no-reinforcement (baseline) condition. During the NCR condition, the stimulus change used as reinforcement in the reinforcement condition is presented on a fixed or variable time schedule independent of the subjects behaviour. A higher level of responding during the reinforcement condition than during the NCR condition demonstrates that the changes in behaviour are the result of contingent reinforcement, not simply the presentation of or contact with the stimulus events.
Noncontingent (NCR) Reversal Technique
A procedure for implementing time out in which, contingent on the occurrence of the target behavior, the person remains withing the setting, but does not have access to reinforcement, for a specified period.
Nonexclusion Time-out
As a philosophy and principle, the belief that people with disabilities should, to the maximum extent possible, be physically and socially integrated into the mainstream of society regardless of the degree or type of disability. As an approach to intervention, the use of progressively more typical settings and procedures “to establish and/or maintain personal behaviours which are as culturally normal as possible”
Normalisation
A measure produced by an observation and measurement system. Observed values serve as data that the researcher and others will interpret to form conclusion about an investigation
Observed Value
Any unintentional change in the way an observer uses a measurement system over the course of an investigation that results in measurement error; often entails a shift in the observer’s interpretation of the original definitions of the target behaviour subsequent to being trained
Observer Drift
Influence on the data reported by an observer that results from the observer’s awareness that others are evaluating the data he reports
Observer Reactivity
The history of development of an individual organism during its lifetime
Ontogeny
Behaviour that is selected, maintained, and brought under stimulus control as a function of its consequences; each person’s repertoire of operant behaviour is a product of his history of interactions with the environment (ontogeny)
Operant Behaviour
The basic process by which operant learning occurs; consequences (stimulus changes immediately following responses) result in an increased (reinforcement) or decreased (punishment) frequency of the same type of behaviour under similar motivational and environmental conditions in the future.
Operant Conditioning
The rate of response over a given time period
Overall Response Rate
A behaviour change tactic based on positive punishment in which, contingent on the problem behaviour, the learner is required to engage in effortful behaviour directly or logically related to fixing the damage caused by the behaviour. Forms of overcorrection are restitutional overcorrection and positive practice overcorrection.
Overcorrection
An experiment designed to discover the differential effects of a range of values of an independent variable
Parametric Analysis
The practice of ruling out simple, logical explanations, experimentally or conceptually, before considering more complex or abstract explanations
Parsimony
A time-sampling method for measuring behaviour in which the observational period is divided into a series of brief time intervals (typically from 5 to 10 seconds). The observer records whether the target behaviour occurred at any time during the interval. Partial-Interval recording is not concerned with how many times the behaviour occurred during the interval or how long the behaviour was present, just that it occurred at some point during the interval; tends to overestimate the proportion of the observation period that the behaviour actually occurred
Partial-interval Recording
An exclusion procedure for implementing time-out which, contingent on the occurrence of the target behaviour, the person remains within the time-in setting, but stays behind a wall, shield or barrier thats restricts the view
Partition Time-out
A ratio formed by combining the same dimensional quantities such as count or time expressed as a number of parts per 100
Percentage
An attitude that the truthfulness and validity of all scientific theory and knowledge should be continually questioned.
Philosophical Doubt
the history of the natural evolution of a species
Phylogeny
A behavior that, when learned, produces corresponding modifications or covariation in other untrained behaviors.
Pivotal Behaviour
A procedure that prevents a subject from detecting the presence or absence of the treatment variable. To the subject the placeo condition appears the same as the treatment condition
Placebo Control
A variation of momentary time sampling in which the observer records whether each person in a group is engaged in the target behavior at specific points in time; measure of group behavior
Planned Activity Check (PLACHECK)
A relation between the stimulus and response or response product that occurs when the beginning, middle, and end of the verbal response. The verbal relations with point-to-point correspondence are echoic, copying a text, imitation as it relates to a sign language, textual, and transcription
Point-to-point correspondence
A form of overcorrection in which, contingent on an occurrence of the target behavior the learner is required to repeat a correct form of the behavior, or a behavior incompatible with the problem behavior, a specified number of times, entails an educative component.
Positive Practice Overcorrection
a behavior is followed immediately by the presentation of a stimulus that decreases the future frequency of the behavior
Positive Punishment
occurs when a behavior is followed immediately by the presentation of a stimulus that increases the future frequency of the behavior in similar conditions
Positive Reinforcement
A procedure for implementing time-out in which social reinforcers - usually attention, physical contact, verbal interaction- are withheld for a brief period contingent on the occurrence of the target behaviour
Planned Ignoring
A stimulus whose presentation or onset functions as reinforcement
Positive Reinforcer
the absence of responding for a period of time following reinforcement; an effect commonly produced by fixed interval and fixed ratio schedules of reinforcement
Post-reinforcement Pause
Improvements in performance resulting from opportunities to perform a behavior repeatedly so that baseline measures can be obtained
Practice Effects
A statement of the anticipated outcome of a presently unknown or future measurement
Prediction
A principle that states that making the opportunity to engage in a high-probability behavior contingent on the occurrence of a low-frequency behavior will function as reinforcement for the low-frequency behaviour
Premark Principle
A statement describing a functional relation between behavior and one or more of its controlling variables with generality across organisms, species, settings, behaviours, and time.
Principle of Behaviour
A tactic for promoting setting/situation generalization by making the instructional setting similar to the generalization setting; the two-step process involves (1) Identifying salient stimuli that characterize the generalization setting and (2) incorporating those stimuli into the instructional setting
Programming Common Stimuli
a schedule that systematically thins each successive reinforcement opportunity independent of the individuals behavior
Progressive Schedule of Reinforcement
A stimulus change that decreases the future frequency of behavior that immediately precedes it.
Punisher
Occurs when stimulus change immediately follows a response and decreases the future frequency of that type of behavior in similar conditions.
Punishment
A form of behaviorism that attempts to understand all human behavior, including private events such as thoughts and feelings, in terms of controlling variables in the history of the person and the species.
Radical Behaviourism
a ratio of count per observation time, often expressed as count per standard unit of time, and calculated by dividing the number of responses recorded by the number of standard units of time in which observations were conducted
Rate
behavioral effect associated with abrupt increases in ratio requirements when moving from denser to thinner reinforcement schedules; common effects include avoidance aggression and unpredictable pauses or cessation in responding
Ratio Strain
Effects of an observation and measurement procedure on the behavior being measured. Reactivity is most likely when measurement procedures are obtrusive, especially if the person being observed is aware of the observers presence and purpose.
Reactivity
Stimulus-response relation consisting of antecedent stimulus and the respondent behavior it elicits. Unconditioned and conditioned reflexes protect against harmful stimuli, help regulate the internal balance and economy of the organism and promote reproduction.
Reflex
A stimulus that acquires MO effectiveness by preceding some form of worsening or improvement. It is exemplified by the warning stimulus in a typical escape-avoidance procedure, which established its own offset as reinforcement and evokes all behavior that has accomplished that offset
Reflexive Conditioned Motivating Operation (CMO-R)
The occurrence of a previously punished type of response without its punishing consequence. This procedure is analogous to the extinction of previously reinforced behaviour and has the effect of undoing the effect of the punishment.
Recovery from Punishment Procedure
A type of stimulus-to-stimulus relation in which the learner, without any prior training or reinforcement for doing so, selects a comparison stimulus that is the same as the sample stimulus (e.g.A=A).
Reflexivity
Occurs when a stimulus change immediately follows a response and increases the future frequency of that type of behavior in similar conditions.
Reinforcement
A stimulus change that increases the future frequency of behavior that immediately precedes it.
Reinforcer
A decrease in the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event caused by a motivating operation
Reinforcer Abolishing Effect (of a motivating operation)
Refers to a variety of direct, empirical methods for presenting one or more stimuli contingent on a target response and measuring their effectiveness as reinforcers
Reinforcer Assessment
An increase in the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus object, or event caused by a motivating operation
Reinforcer Establishing Effect (of a motivating operation)
Holds that only behaviors likely to produce reinforcement in the persons natural environment should be targeted for change.
Relevance of Behaviour Rule
Refers to the consistency of measurement, specifically the extent to which repeated measurement of the same event yields the same values.
Reliability
Refers to the fact that a behavior can occur repeatedly though time; one of three dimensional qualities of behavior
Repeatability
All of the behaviors a person can do; or a set of behaviors relevant to a particular setting or task
Repertoire
(1)Repeating conditions within an experiment to determine the reliability of the effects and increase internal validity; (2) repeating whole experiments to determine the generality of findings of previous experiments to other subjects, settings, and/or behavior.
Replication
the relative frequency with which operant behavior is emitted during extinction
Resistance to Extinction
The response component of a reflex; behavior is elicited or induced by antecedent stimulus
Respondent Behaviour
A stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure in which a neutral stimulus is presented with an unconditioned stimulus until the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus that elicits the conditioned response
Respondent Conditioning
The repeated presentation of a conditioned stimulus in the absence of the unconditioned stimulus ; the CS gradually loses its ability to elicit the conditioned response until the conditioned reflex no longer appears in the individuals repertoire.
Respondent Extinction
A single instance or occurrence of a specific class or type of behavior. An action of an organisms effector. An effector is an organ at the end of an efferent nerve fiber that is specialized for altering its environment mechanically, chemically, or in terms of other energy changes
Response
A procedure in which the therapist physically intervenes as soon as the learner begins to emit a problem behavior to prevent completion of the targeted behavior
Response Blocking
A group of responses of varying topography all of which produce the same effect on the environment.
Response Class
the contingent loss of reinforcers producing a decrease of the frequency of behavior; a form of negative punishment.
Response Cost
a model for predicting whether contingent access to one behavior based on whether access to the contingent behavior represents a restriction of the activity compared to the baseline level of engagement
Response-deprivation Hyothesis
A behavior change produced by differential reinforcement; reinforced members of the current response class occur with greater frequency, and unreinforced members occur less frequently; the overall result is the emergence of a new response class
Response Differentiation
the extent to which a learner emits untrained responses that are functionally equivalent to the trained target behaviour
Response Generalisation
A measure of temporal locus; the elapsed time from the onset of a stimulus to the initiation of a response
Response Latency
a form of overcorrection in which, contingent on the problem behavior, the learner is required to repair the damage or return the environment to its original state and then to engage in additional behavior to bring the environment to a condition vastly better than it was in prior to the misbehavior
Restitutional Overcorrection
The extent to which a learner continues to perform the target behaviour after a portion or all of the intervention responsible for the behaviour’s initial appearance in the learner’s repertoire has been terminated. Often called Maintenance, durability, behavioural persistence and incorrectly, resistance to exinction.
Response Maintenance
Any experimental design in which the researcher attempts to verify the effect of the independent variable by “reversing” responding to a level obtained in a previous condition.
Reversal Design
behavior controlled by a rule (i.e. a verbal statement of an antecedent-behavior-consequence); enables human behavior to come under the indirect control of temporally remote or improbable but potential significant consequence
Rule-governed Behaviour
Decrease in the frequency of operant behavior presumed to be the result of continued contact with or consumption of a reinforcer that has followed the behavior; also could be a procedure to reduce the effectiveness of a reinforcer.
Satiation
two-dimensional approach that shows the relative distribution of individual measures in a data set with respect to the variables depicted by the x and y axes. Data points are not connected.
Scatterplot
A rule specifying the environmental arrangements and response requirements for reinforcement
Schedule of Reinforcement
changing a contingency of reinforcement by gradually increasing the response ratio or the extent of time interval, results in lower rate of reinforcement per responses
Schedule Thinning
Systematic approach to the understanding of natural phenomena 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.
Science
Observer agreement index based only on the intervals in which the intervals in which either observer recorded the occurrence of the behavior; calculated by dividing the number of intervals in which the two observers agreed that the behavior occurred by the number of total recorded intervals
Scored Interval IOA
Fundamental principle underlying operant conditioning; basic tenet is that all forms of behavior, from simple to complex are selected, shaped, and maintained by their consequences during an individual’s lifetime
Selection by Consequences
contingency contract that a person makes with himself, incorporating a self-selected task and reward as well as personal monitoring of task completions and self delivery of the reward
Self-contract
(A) a persons ability to “delay gratification” by emitting a response that will produce a larger (or higher quality) delayed reward over a response that produces a smaller but immediate reward (B) A persons behaving in a certain way so as to change a subsequent behavior conceptualized self-control as a two-response phenomenon
Self-control
two-dimensional chart with a logarithmic scaled y-axis so that equal distances on the vertical axis represent changes in behavior that are of equal proportion
Semilogarithmic Chart
A procedure in which a person compares his performance of a target behaviour with a predetermined goal or standard; often a component of self-management. Sometimes called Self-assessment.
Self-evaluation
Self-generated verbal responses, covert or overt, that function as rules or response prompts for a desired behaviour
Self-instruction
The personal application of behaviour change tactics that produces a desired change in behaviour
Self-management
A procedure whereby a person systematically observes his behaviour and records the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a target behaviour
Self-monitoring
The process by which behaviour maintained by automatic reinforcement are placed on extinction by masking or removing the sensory consequence
Sensory Exinction
The effects on a subjects behavior in a given condition that are the result of the subject’s experience with a prior condition
Sequence Effects
The extent to which a learner emits the target behaviour in a setting or stimulus situation that is different to the instructional setting
Setting/Situation Generalisation
using differential reinforcement to produce a series of gradually changing response classes; each response class is a successive approximation toward a terminal behavior. Members of an existing response class are selected for differential reinforcement because they more closely resemble the terminal behavior
Shaping
A wide variety of research designs that use a form of experimental reasoning called baseline logic to demonstrate the effects of the independent variable on the behavior of individual subjects
Single-subject Designs
Extent to which target behaviors are appropriate, intervention procedures are acceptable, and important and significant changes in target and collateral behaviors are produced.
Social Validity
A verbal response evoked by a stimulus property that is only indirectly related to the proper tact relation
Solistc (tact) Extension
a procedure for implementing DRL in which reinforcement follows each occurrence of the target behavior that is separated from the previous response by a minimum Interresponse time (IRT)
Spaced-Responding DRL
A line drawn through a series of graphed stat points that shows the overall trend in the data
Split-middle Line of Progress
Someone who engages in verbal behaviour by emitting mands, tacts, intraverbals, autoclitics, and so on. Can use sign language, gestures, signals, written words, codes, pictures, or any form of verbal behaviour.
Speaker
a behavioral effect associated with extinction in which the behavior suddenly begins to occur after its frequency has decreased to its prereinforcement level or stopped entirely
Spontaneous Recovery
Data that show no evidence of an upward or downward trend
Stable Baseline
A multiply-divide chart with 6 base-10 cycles on the vertical axis that can accommodate response rates as low as 1 per 24 hours to as high as 1000 per minute
Standard Celeration Chart
A pattern of responding that exhibits relatively little variation in its measured dimensional quantities over a period of time
Steady State Responding
Repeatedly exposing a subject to a given condition while trying to eliminate or control extraneous influences on the behavior and obtaining a stable pattern of responding before introducing the next condition
Steady State Strategy
An energy change that affects an organism through its receptor cells
Stimulus
A group of stimuli that share specified common elements along formal, temporal, and/or functional dimensions.
Stimulus Class
A situation in which the frequency, latency, durations, or amplitude of a behavior is altered by the presence or absence of an antecedent stimulus.
Stimulus Control
A stimulus in the presence of which a given behavior has not produced reinforcement in the past
Stimulus Delta
the conventional procedure requires one behavior and two antecedent stimulus conditions. Responses are reinforced in the presence of one stimulus condition, the SD, but not in the presence of the other stimulus, the Sdelta
Stmulus Discrimination Training
The emergence of accurate responding to untrained and nonreinforced stimulus-stimulus relations following the reinforcement of responses to some stimulus-stimulus relations. A positive demonstration of reflexivity, symmetry, and transitivity is necessary to meet the definition of equivalence
Stimulus Equivalence
when an antecedent stimulus has a history of evoking a response that has been reinforced in its presence, the same type of behavior tends to be evoked by stimuli that share similar physical properties with the controlling antecedent stimulus
Stimulus Generalization
variety of procedures used to determine the stimuli that a person prefers, the relative preference values of those stimuli the conditions under which those preference values remain in effect and presumed value as a reinforcer.
Stimulus Preference Assessment
A graphic description of the extent to which behaviour that has been reinforced in the presence of a specific stimulus condition is emitted in the presence of other stimuli.
Stimulus Generalization Gradient
A procedure in which two stimuli are presented at the same time, usually repeatedly for a number of trials, which often results in one stimulus acquiring the function of the other stimulus
Stimulus-stimulus Pairing
the sequence of new response classes that emerge during the shaping process as the result of differential reinforcement; each successive response class is closer in form to the terminal behavior than the response class it replaces
Successive Approximations
A stimulus that acquires its MO effectiveness by being parried with another MO and has the same value-altering and behavior-altering effects as the MO with which it was paired
Surrogate Conditioned Motivating Operation (CMO-S)
A type of stimulus-to-stimulus relationship in which the learner, without prior training or reinforcement for doing so, demonstrates the reversibility of matched sample and comparison stimuli (e.g. if A=B then B=A)
Symmetry
An experiment in which the researcher purposefully varies one or more aspects of an earlier experiment. A systematic replication that reproduces the results of previous research not only demonstrates the reliability of the earlier findings by showing that the internal validity of the earlier findings by showing that the same effect can be obtained under different conditions
Systematic Replication
an elementary verbal operant evoked by a nonverbal discriminative stimulus and followed by generalized conditioned reinforcement
Tact
A behaviour therapy treatment for anxieties, fears, and phobias that involves substituting one response, generally muscle relaxation, for the unwanted behaviour - fear and anxiety. The client practices relaxing while imagining anxiety-producing situations in a sequence from least to most fearful.
Systematic Desensitisation
a schedule of reinforcement identical to the chained schedule except, like the mix schedule, the tandem schedule does not use discriminative stimuli with the elements in the chain.
Tandem Schedule
The response class selected for intervention; can be defined either functionally or topographically.
Target Behaviour
the process of breaking of breaking a complex skill or series of behaviors into smaller, teachable units, also refers to the results of this process
Task Analysis
Randomly varying functionally irrelevant stimuli within and across teaching sessions; promotes setting/situation generalization by reducing the likelihood that (a) a single or small group of noncritical stimuli will acquire exclusive control over the target behaviors and (2) the learners performance of the target behavior will be impeded or “thrown off” should he encounter any of the “loose” stimuli in the generalization setting
Teaching Loosely
A strategy for promoting generalized behavior change that consists of teaching the learner to respond to a subset of all of the relevant stimulus and response examples and then assessing the learners performance on untrained examples
Teaching Sufficient Exemplars
Refers to the fact that every instance of behavior occurs during some amount of time
Temporal Extent
Refers to the fact that every instance of behavior occurs at a certain point in time with respect to other events ; measured in terms of response latency and IRT
Tmporal Locus
The end product of Shaping
Terminal Behaviour
an elementary verbal operant involving a response that is evoked by a verbal discriminative stimulus that has point to point correspondence, but not formal similarity, between the stimulus and the response product.
Textual
The basic unit of analysis in the analysis of operant behavior; encompasses the temporal and possibly dependent relations among an antecedent stimulus, behavior, and consequence.
Three term contingency
The contingent withdrawal of the opportunity to earn positive reinforcement of the loss of access to positive reinforcer’s for a specified time, a form of negative punishment
Time-out from positive reinforcment
A procedure for implementing nonexclusion time out in which a child wears a ribbon or wrist band that becomes discriminative for receiving reinforcement. Contingent on misbehaviour, the ribbon is removed and access to social or other reinforcers are unavailable for a specific period. when time-out ends, the ribbon or band is returned to the child and time begins.
Time-out Ribbon
A measurement of the presence or absence of behavior within specific time intervals. It is most useful with continuous and high-rate behaviors
Time-sampling
an object that is awarded contingent on appropriate behavior and that serves as the medium of exchange for back up reinforcers
Token
a system whereby participants earn generalized conditioned reinforcers as an immediate consequence for specific behaviors; participants accumulate tokens and exchange them for items and activities from a menu of backup reinforcers
Token economy
The physical form or shape of a behavior
Topography
Defines instances of the targeted response class by the shape or form of the behavior
Topography-based Definition
The simplest indicator of IOA for event recording data; based on comparing the total count recorded by each observer per measurement period; smaller of the two counts divided by larger and multiplied by 100
Total-Count IOA
A relevant index of IOA for total duration measurement; computed by dividing the shorter of two durations reported by the observer by the longer duration and multiplying by 100
Total Duration IOA
a variation of forward chaining in which the learner receives training on each behavior in the chain during each session
Total Task Chaining
an elementary verbal operant involving a spoken verbal stimulus that evokes a written, typed, or finger-spelled response
Transcription
an environmental variable that, as a result of a learning history establishes (or abolishes) the reinforcing effectiveness of another stimulus and evokes (or abates) the behavior that has been reinforced by that other stimulus
Transitive Conditioned Motivating Operation (CMO-T)
a derived stimulus-stimulus relation that emerges as a product of training two other stimulus-stimulus relations. (If A=B and B=C then C=A)
Transitivity
an undesirable situation in which the independent variable of an experiment is applied differently during later stages than it was at the outset of the study
Treatment Drift
the extent to which the independent variable is applied exactly as planned and described and no other unplanned variables are administered inadvertently along with the planned treatment
Treatment Integrity
Overall direction taken by a data path
Trend
An IOA index for discrete trial data based on comparing the observers count (0-1) on a trial-by-trial, or item-by-item, basis. Yields more conservative and meaningful index of IOA than total count IOA.
Trial-by-trial IOA
A special form of event recording; a measure of the number of responses or practice opportunities needed for a person to achieve a pre-established level of accuracy or proficiency
Trials to Criterion
A measure accepted as a quantitative description of the true state of some dimensional quantity of an event as it exists in nature.
True Value
Error that occurs when a researcher concludes that the independent variable had an effect on the dependent variable when no such relation exists; i.e. a false positive
Type I Error
An error that occurs when a researcher concludes that the independent variable had no effect on the dependent variable, when in truth it did
Type II Error
a motivating operation whose values altering effect does not depend on a learning history
Unconditioned Motivating Operation (UMO)
A stimulus that functions as a negative reinforcer as a result of the evolutionary development of the species; no prior learning is involved
Unconditioned Negative Reinforcer
A stimulus change that decreases the frequency of any behavior that immediately precedes it irrespective of the organisms learning history with the stimulus.
Unconditioned Punisher
an unlearned stimulus-response functional relation consisting of an antecedent stimulus(food in mouth) that elicits the response (salivation)
Unconditioned Reflex
A stimulus change that increases the frequency of any behavior that immediately precedes it irrespective of the organisms learning history with the stimulus
Unconditioned Reinforcer
The stimulus component of an unconditioned reflex; a stimulus change that elicits respondent behavior without any prior learning.
Unconditioned Stimulus
Two kinds (a) the occurrence alone of a stimulus that acquired its function by being paired with an already effective stimulus, or (b) the occurrence of the stimulus in its absence as well as in the presence of the effective stimulus.
Unpairing
An observer agreement index based only on the intervals in which either observer recorded the nonoccurrence of the behavior; calculated by dividing the number of intervals in which the two observers agreed that the behavior did not occur by the number of intervals in which either or both observes recorded the nonoccurrence of the behavior and multiplying by 100
Unscored-Interval IOA Validity
The extent to which data obtained from measurement are directly relevant to the target behavior of interest and to the reasons for measuring it
Validity (of measurement)
an alteration in the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event as a result of a motivating operation
Value-altering Effect
The frequency and extent to which multiple measures of behavior yield different outcomes
Variability
Data points that do not consistently fall within a narrow range of values and do not suggest any clear trend
Variable Baseline
a schedule of reinforcement that provides reinforcement for the first correct response following the elapse of variable durations of time occurring in random or unpredictable order; mean duration is used to describe
Variable Interval (VI)
A DRO procedure in which reinforcement is available at the end of intervals of variable duration and delivered contingent on the absence of the problem behaviour during the interval.
Variable-interval DRO (VI-DRO)
A DRO procedure in which reinforcement is available at specific moments of time, which are separated by variable amount of time in random sequence, and delivered if the problem behaviour is not occuring at those times.
Variable-momentary DRO (VM-DRO)
A schedule of reinforcement requiring a varying number of responses for reinforcement ; the mean number is used to describe the schedule
Variable Ratio (VR)
One of three components of the experimental reasoning, or baseline logic, used in single-subject research designs; accomplished by demonstrating that the prior level of baseline responding would have remained unchanged had the independent variable not been introduced .
Verification
A schedule for the delivery of noncontingent stimuli in which the interval of time from one delivery to the next randomly varies around a given time.
Variable-time schedule (VT)
Behaviour whose reinforcement is mediated by the listener; includes both vocal-verbal behaviour and nonvocal-verbal behaviour. Encompasses the subject matter usually treated as language and topics such as thinking, grammer, composition, and understanding
Verbal Behaviour
A systematic approach for interpreting the results of behavioral research and treatment programs that entails visual inspection of graphed data for variability, level, and trend within and between experimental conditions
Visual Analysis
A time sampling method for measuring behavior in which he observation period is divided into a series of brief time intervals . At the end of each interval the observer records whether the target behavior occurred throughout the entire interval. Tends to underestimate the proportion of the observation period that many behaviors actually occurred.
Whole Interval Recording
Describes experiments in which an effective treatment is sequentially or partially withdrawn to promote the maintenance of behavior changes
Withdrawal Design
