- Reinforcement
- A consequence that increases the future frequency of the behavior it follows; defined by its effect on behavior.
- Applied behavior analysis (ABA)
- The science in which tactics derived from the principles of behavior are applied to improve socially significant behavior, and experimentation identifies the variables responsible for change.
- Radical behaviorism
- Skinner's philosophy that treats private events (thoughts, feelings) as behavior governed by the same principles, while explaining behavior through environmental — not mentalistic — causes.
- Methodological behaviorism
- A philosophy that limits the science to publicly observable events and excludes private events from analysis.
- Mentalism
- An approach that attributes behavior to inner, often unobservable, mental causes; rejected by radical behaviorism.
- Three goals of behavior analysis
- Description (recording what happens), prediction (identifying correlations), and control (demonstrating a functional relation that allows behavior to be changed).
- Description (goal of science)
- Recording and quantifying observed events; the most basic goal of a science of behavior.
- Prediction (goal of science)
- Identifying correlations between events that allow one to anticipate behavior.
- Control (goal of science)
- Demonstrating a functional relation in which manipulating an environmental variable reliably changes behavior; the highest goal of ABA.
- Determinism
- The assumption that the universe is lawful and orderly, so events (including behavior) have causes that can be discovered.
- Empiricism
- The practice of objective observation and measurement of the phenomena of interest.
- Parsimony
- Ruling out simple, logical explanations before considering more complex or abstract ones.
- Philosophic doubt
- Continually questioning the truthfulness of what is regarded as fact; remaining skeptical and open to new evidence.
- Pragmatism
- Judging the truth of a concept or principle by its practical, demonstrable effects.
- Selectionism
- The view that behavior is selected by its consequences, analogous to natural selection.
- Experimental analysis of behavior (EAB)
- The basic-research branch of behavior analysis that studies principles of behavior, typically in controlled (often nonhuman) settings.
- Seven dimensions of ABA
- Baer, Wolf & Risley (1968): applied, behavioral, analytic, technological, conceptually systematic, effective, and generality (mnemonic: GET A CAB).
- Applied (dimension)
- The behavior targeted is socially significant to the individual.
- Behavioral (dimension)
- The study works on measurable behavior itself, not on labels or verbal reports.
- Analytic (dimension)
- The study demonstrates a functional relation between the intervention and the behavior change.
- Technological (dimension)
- Procedures are described clearly and completely enough to be replicated.
- Conceptually systematic (dimension)
- Interventions are derived from and described in terms of the basic principles of behavior.
- Effective (dimension)
- The intervention produces a socially meaningful change in behavior.
- Generality (dimension)
- Behavior change lasts over time, appears in other settings, and spreads to other behaviors.
- Explanatory fiction
- A fictitious, often circular, variable offered as a cause of behavior (e.g., 'he hit because he is aggressive').
- Hypothetical construct
- A presumed but unobserved entity that supposedly explains behavior; not a valid behavioral cause.
- Private events
- Behavior or stimuli accessible only to the person experiencing them (thoughts, feelings); analyzed as behavior in radical behaviorism.
- Behavior
- The activity of living organisms; anything an organism does that can be observed and measured.
- Response
- A single instance or occurrence of a specific class of behavior.
- Response class
- A group of responses that produce the same effect on the environment (have the same function).
- Stimulus
- An energy change that affects an organism through its sensory receptors.
- Stimulus class
- A group of stimuli that share specified physical, temporal, or functional characteristics.
- Operant conditioning
- Learning in which behavior is strengthened or weakened by its consequences.
- Respondent conditioning
- Pavlovian (classical) conditioning in which a neutral stimulus comes to elicit a response after pairing with an unconditioned stimulus.
- Three-term contingency
- The basic unit of analysis: antecedent (A), behavior (B), and consequence (C).
- Punishment
- A consequence that decreases the future frequency of the behavior it follows.
- Positive reinforcement (SR+)
- Adding a stimulus after a behavior, which increases the behavior's future frequency.
- Negative reinforcement (SR-)
- Removing or postponing a stimulus after a behavior, which increases the behavior's future frequency (e.g., escape).
- Positive punishment (SP+)
- Adding a stimulus after a behavior, which decreases the behavior's future frequency.
- Negative punishment (SP-)
- Removing a stimulus after a behavior, which decreases its future frequency (e.g., response cost, time-out).
- Automatic reinforcement
- Reinforcement produced directly by the behavior itself, independent of others' actions (e.g., sensory stimulation).
- Socially mediated contingency
- A contingency in which another person delivers the consequence (e.g., attention, escape from demands).
- Unconditioned reinforcer
- A stimulus that functions as a reinforcer without any prior learning (e.g., food, water).
- Conditioned reinforcer
- A previously neutral stimulus that acquires reinforcing value through pairing with other reinforcers.
- Generalized conditioned reinforcer
- A conditioned reinforcer paired with many backups, so its value does not depend on one motivating operation (e.g., tokens, money).
- Unconditioned punisher
- A stimulus that decreases behavior without prior learning (e.g., painful stimulation).
- Conditioned punisher
- A previously neutral stimulus that becomes a punisher through pairing with other punishers.
- Extinction
- Withholding the reinforcer that maintained a behavior, which decreases the behavior over time.
- Extinction burst
- A temporary increase in the frequency, intensity, or duration of a behavior when extinction is first applied.
- Spontaneous recovery
- The reappearance of an extinguished behavior after a period without exposure to the extinction contingency.
- Respondent extinction
- Repeatedly presenting a conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus until the conditioned response weakens.
- Fixed ratio (FR)
- A schedule that delivers reinforcement after a set number of responses; produces high rates with a post-reinforcement pause.
- Variable ratio (VR)
- A schedule that delivers reinforcement after a variable (averaged) number of responses; produces high, steady rates resistant to extinction.
- Fixed interval (FI)
- A schedule reinforcing the first response after a set time elapses; produces a scalloped response pattern.
- Variable interval (VI)
- A schedule reinforcing the first response after a variable (averaged) time; produces steady, moderate rates.
- Ratio strain
- A disruption in responding (pauses, avoidance) caused by thinning a ratio schedule too quickly.
- Continuous reinforcement (CRF)
- A schedule reinforcing every occurrence of the behavior; useful for acquisition of a new skill.
- Intermittent reinforcement
- Reinforcing some but not all occurrences; produces behavior more resistant to extinction than CRF.
- Concurrent schedule
- Two or more schedules of reinforcement operating independently and simultaneously for two or more behaviors.
- Multiple schedule
- Two or more component schedules presented one at a time, each with a distinct discriminative stimulus.
- Chained schedule
- Two or more component schedules that must be completed in sequence to obtain reinforcement, each with its own stimulus.
- Stimulus control
- The change in a behavior's rate, latency, or form produced by the presence of an antecedent stimulus.
- Discriminative stimulus (SD)
- A stimulus in the presence of which a response has been reinforced, so the response is more likely; signals reinforcement is available.
- S-delta (S-delta)
- A stimulus in the presence of which a response has not been reinforced, so the response is less likely.
- Stimulus discrimination
- Responding differently to different stimuli, established by reinforcing in the SD but not the S-delta.
- Stimulus generalization
- The spread of responding to stimuli that share features with the trained discriminative stimulus.
- Response generalization
- The occurrence of untrained responses that are functionally similar to the trained response.
- Response maintenance
- The continuation of a behavior after the intervention that produced it has been withdrawn.
- Motivating operation (MO)
- An environmental variable that alters the value of a reinforcer and the frequency of behavior that produces it.
- Establishing operation (EO)
- A motivating operation that increases the value of a reinforcer (e.g., deprivation).
- Abolishing operation (AO)
- A motivating operation that decreases the value of a reinforcer (e.g., satiation).
- Value-altering effect
- The effect of an MO that increases or decreases the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus.
- Behavior-altering effect
- The effect of an MO that increases or decreases the current frequency of behavior related to a stimulus.
- Unconditioned MO (UMO)
- A motivating operation whose value-altering effect does not depend on learning (e.g., food deprivation).
- Conditioned MO (CMO)
- A motivating operation whose value-altering effect depends on a learning history.
- SD vs. MO
- An SD signals reinforcement is AVAILABLE; an MO changes how VALUABLE the reinforcer is and how often the behavior occurs.
- Rule-governed behavior
- Behavior controlled by a verbal description of a contingency rather than by direct contact with the contingency.
- Contingency-shaped behavior
- Behavior acquired and maintained by direct contact with the contingency.
- Verbal behavior
- Behavior reinforced through the mediation of another person; classified by Skinner into verbal operants.
- Mand
- A verbal operant — a request — controlled by a motivating operation and reinforced by the specific item or action requested.
- Tact
- A verbal operant — a label or comment — controlled by a nonverbal stimulus and reinforced by generalized social reinforcement.
- Echoic
- A verbal operant with point-to-point correspondence and formal similarity to a verbal model (vocal imitation).
- Intraverbal
- A verbal operant evoked by a verbal stimulus without point-to-point correspondence (conversation, fill-ins).
- Listener behavior
- Behavior of the person who responds to the speaker's verbal behavior; includes following instructions.
- Multiple control (verbal)
- A single verbal response controlled by more than one variable, or one variable affecting multiple responses.
- Behavioral momentum
- The tendency of behavior to persist after a change in conditions, related to its reinforcement history.
- Matching law
- The principle that response rates are distributed across concurrent schedules in proportion to the reinforcement obtained from each.
- Imitation
- A behavior controlled by a model that has formal similarity and immediately follows the model.
- Observational learning
- Learning a behavior by watching another person's behavior and its consequences.
- Pairing (stimulus-stimulus)
- Presenting a neutral stimulus with an established reinforcer so the neutral stimulus acquires reinforcing value.
- Deprivation
- Time without contact with a reinforcer, which acts as an establishing operation increasing its value.
- Satiation
- Recent heavy contact with a reinforcer, which acts as an abolishing operation decreasing its value.
- Operational definition
- A clear, objective, measurable description of a target behavior so observers agree on whether it occurred.
- Frequency / count
- A simple count of the number of occurrences of a behavior.
- Rate
- Frequency of a behavior per unit of time (count divided by time).
- Duration
- A measure of how long a behavior lasts from onset to offset.
- Latency
- The elapsed time between an antecedent (e.g., an instruction) and the onset of the response.
- Interresponse time (IRT)
- The elapsed time between the end of one response and the beginning of the next.
- Magnitude
- The force, intensity, or severity of a response.
- Celeration
- A measure of how rates of response change over time (acceleration or deceleration).
- Permanent product
- A measurable change in the environment produced by behavior, allowing after-the-fact measurement (e.g., completed worksheets).
- Continuous measurement
- Recording every instance of the target behavior during the observation; the most accurate approach.
- Discontinuous measurement
- Sampling behavior in time blocks rather than recording every instance; more practical but estimates levels.
- Partial-interval recording
- Scoring an interval if the behavior occurred at any point; tends to overestimate duration.
- Whole-interval recording
- Scoring an interval only if the behavior occurred throughout; tends to underestimate duration.
- Momentary time sampling
- Scoring whether the behavior is occurring at the moment each interval ends; good for continuous, group behaviors.
- Trials to criterion
- A measure of the number of response opportunities needed to reach a predetermined level of performance.
- Validity (measurement)
- The extent to which a measure reflects the behavior of interest and serves the reason for measuring.
- Reliability (measurement)
- The consistency of measurement — the extent to which repeated measurement yields the same values.
- Accuracy (measurement)
- The extent to which observed values match the true values of the behavior.
- Interobserver agreement (IOA)
- The degree to which two or more independent observers report the same values; the primary index of reliability.
- Procedural integrity
- The degree to which an intervention is implemented as designed; also called treatment fidelity.
- Treatment integrity
- Another term for procedural integrity — how faithfully a procedure is carried out as written.
- Equal-interval line graph
- The most common ABA graph; equal distances on the y-axis represent equal amounts of behavior change.
- Cumulative record
- A graph on which the y-axis accumulates responses over time, so the slope shows response rate.
- Bar graph (histogram)
- A graph that uses bars to display and compare discrete sets of data not amenable to a line graph.
- Level (graph)
- The value on the y-axis around which a series of data points converge; the average amount of behavior.
- Trend (graph)
- The overall direction of a data path (increasing, decreasing, or flat) and its degree.
- Variability (graph)
- The degree to which data points differ from one another; high variability obscures effects.
- Visual analysis
- Interpreting graphed data by examining level, trend, variability, and changes across conditions.
- Dosage / treatment dose
- The amount of an intervention delivered (e.g., hours of therapy), tracked as part of procedural data.
- Dependent variable
- The behavior being measured and predicted to change in an experiment.
- Independent variable
- The intervention or variable the experimenter systematically manipulates.
- Functional relation
- Demonstrated when manipulating the independent variable reliably changes the dependent variable, with replication.
- Internal validity
- The extent to which an experiment shows the IV, not a confound, produced the change.
- External validity
- The extent to which findings generalize to other people, settings, behaviors, or conditions.
- Confound
- An uncontrolled variable that may influence the dependent variable and threaten internal validity.
- History (threat)
- An external event occurring during a study that may affect the dependent variable.
- Maturation (threat)
- Changes in the participant over time (e.g., development) that may affect the dependent variable.
- Baseline
- A condition with no intervention, used to compare against intervention conditions.
- Baseline logic
- The single-case reasoning of prediction, verification, and replication used to show a functional relation.
- Prediction (baseline logic)
- The anticipated outcome based on stable baseline data if conditions stayed unchanged.
- Verification (baseline logic)
- Demonstrating that the prior level of baseline would have remained had the IV not been introduced.
- Replication (baseline logic)
- Repeating the effect of the IV within or across studies to confirm a functional relation.
- Single-case experimental design
- A research design that uses the participant as their own control with repeated measures, rather than groups.
- Reversal (ABAB) design
- A design that introduces, withdraws, and reintroduces the IV to demonstrate a functional relation.
- Multiple-baseline design
- A design introducing the IV in a staggered sequence across behaviors, settings, or participants.
- Multielement (alternating treatments) design
- A design that rapidly alternates two or more conditions to compare their effects on behavior.
- Changing-criterion design
- A design that demonstrates control by stepwise changes in a performance criterion.
- Component analysis
- An experimental analysis that isolates the active elements of a treatment package.
- Parametric analysis
- An analysis comparing different values (parameters) of the same independent variable.
- Comparative analysis
- An analysis comparing the effects of two or more distinct interventions.
- Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts
- The BACB code governing behavior-analyst conduct, built on four core principles.
- Four core ethics principles
- Behavior analysts: benefit others; treat with compassion, dignity & respect; behave with integrity; and ensure competence.
- Benefit others (principle)
- Acting in clients' best interests, doing no harm, and promoting their welfare.
- Treat with compassion, dignity & respect
- Honoring the rights, culture, and self-determination of clients and others.
- Behave with integrity
- Being truthful, following through on commitments, and avoiding conflicts of interest and exploitation.
- Ensure competence
- Practicing only within one's scope of competence and maintaining and developing it over time.
- Scope of competence
- The range of services a behavior analyst is qualified to deliver based on education, training, and supervised experience.
- Confidentiality
- The duty to protect client information and disclose it only with consent or as legally required.
- Informed consent
- A client's voluntary agreement to services after disclosure of their nature, risks, benefits, and alternatives.
- Assent
- A client's affirmative agreement to participate, sought even when they cannot give legal consent (e.g., a minor).
- Multiple relationship
- A second role with a client (social, financial, familial) that risks impaired objectivity or exploitation.
- Conflict of interest
- A situation in which personal interests could compromise professional judgment or the client's welfare.
- Cultural humility
- An ongoing, self-reflective stance of openness and respect toward the cultures of the clients one serves.
- Culturally responsive practice
- Tailoring services and supervision to the cultural values and context of the client and family.
- Implicit / personal bias
- Unconscious attitudes that can affect professional judgment; behavior analysts work to recognize and address them.
- Mandated reporting
- The legal duty to report reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect to authorities, overriding confidentiality.
- Public statements
- Communications about one's services or the field that must be truthful and not misleading.
- Discontinuing / transitioning services
- Ending or transferring services responsibly so the client is not harmed or abandoned.
- Client dignity
- Respecting the worth, rights, and preferences of the person receiving services.
- Jurisprudence
- Knowledge of the laws and regulations governing behavior-analytic practice in one's jurisdiction.
- Licensure
- State-level legal authorization to practice; separate from BACB certification.
- Risk-benefit analysis
- Weighing the likely benefits of an intervention against its potential risks before proceeding.
- Functional behavior assessment (FBA)
- The process of identifying the environmental variables that maintain a problem behavior — its function.
- Indirect assessment
- Gathering information through interviews, rating scales, and questionnaires; quick but reliant on informant report.
- Descriptive assessment
- Direct observation of behavior in the natural setting (e.g., ABC recording); correlational, not causal.
- Functional analysis (FA)
- Experimental manipulation of antecedents and consequences to demonstrate the function maintaining a behavior.
- ABC recording
- Descriptive observation that records the antecedent, behavior, and consequence of each occurrence.
- Scatterplot
- A descriptive tool that records when behavior occurs across time periods to reveal temporal patterns.
- FA test conditions
- The standard analog functional-analysis conditions: attention, escape (demand), tangible, and alone/ignore.
- Play (control) condition
- The functional-analysis control condition with rich attention, no demands, and free access — low problem behavior expected.
- Attention function
- Behavior maintained by social positive reinforcement in the form of attention (including reprimands).
- Escape function
- Behavior maintained by social negative reinforcement — escape or avoidance of demands or aversive situations.
- Tangible function
- Behavior maintained by social positive reinforcement — access to preferred items or activities.
- Automatic function
- Behavior maintained by reinforcement it produces directly, not socially mediated (sensory/self-stimulatory).
- Four functions of behavior
- Attention, escape/avoidance, access to tangibles, and automatic (sensory) reinforcement.
- Preference assessment
- A procedure that identifies stimuli likely to function as reinforcers for a particular learner.
- Single-stimulus preference assessment
- Presenting one item at a time and measuring approach or engagement.
- Paired-stimulus preference assessment
- Forced-choice format presenting two items per trial; yields a clear preference hierarchy.
- MSWO assessment
- Multiple-stimulus without replacement: present an array; the chosen item is removed each trial.
- MSW assessment
- Multiple-stimulus with replacement: present an array; the chosen item stays in for the next trial.
- Free-operant preference assessment
- Observing free access to items and measuring time engaged with each.
- Reinforcer assessment
- A procedure that confirms a stimulus actually increases behavior, unlike a preference assessment which only predicts.
- Social validity
- The extent to which the goals, procedures, and outcomes of an intervention are acceptable and meaningful to consumers.
- Replacement behavior
- An appropriate behavior that produces the same reinforcer (function) as the problem behavior.
- Skill assessment
- Assessing a learner's repertoire to identify strengths and instructional needs.
- Function of behavior
- The reinforcing consequence that maintains a behavior; the target of a function-based intervention.
- Differential reinforcement
- Reinforcing one response class while placing another on extinction.
- DRA
- Differential reinforcement of an alternative behavior, with the problem behavior on extinction.
- DRI
- Differential reinforcement of a behavior physically incompatible with the problem behavior.
- DRO
- Differential reinforcement of other behavior — reinforcing the absence of the problem behavior for an interval (omission).
- DRL
- Differential reinforcement of low rates — reinforcing responding at or below a set lower rate.
- DRH
- Differential reinforcement of high rates — reinforcing responding at or above a set higher rate.
- Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR)
- Delivering a reinforcer on a time-based schedule independent of behavior, weakening the behavior-reinforcer relation.
- Functional communication training (FCT)
- A DRA procedure teaching a communication response that produces the same reinforcer as the problem behavior.
- Token economy
- A system delivering generalized conditioned reinforcers (tokens) for target behaviors, exchanged for backup reinforcers.
- Backup reinforcer
- The item or activity for which tokens are exchanged in a token economy.
- Shaping
- Differential reinforcement of successive approximations toward a terminal behavior.
- Successive approximations
- The closer and closer versions of a target behavior reinforced during shaping.
- Chaining
- Linking discrete behaviors into a sequence via a task analysis.
- Task analysis
- Breaking a complex skill into smaller, teachable, sequenced component steps.
- Forward chaining
- Teaching a behavior chain from the first step forward, prompting later steps.
- Backward chaining
- Teaching a behavior chain from the last step backward, so completion always contacts reinforcement.
- Total-task chaining
- Teaching the entire behavior chain on every trial, prompting as needed.
- Discrete trial training (DTT)
- A teaching format of repeated structured trials, each with an antecedent, response, consequence, and inter-trial interval.
- Prompt
- A supplementary antecedent stimulus that increases the likelihood of a correct response.
- Response prompt
- A prompt operating on the response (verbal, model, or physical guidance).
- Stimulus prompt
- A prompt operating on the antecedent stimulus (e.g., position, movement, or added cues).
- Errorless learning
- Arranging prompts so the learner responds correctly from the start, minimizing errors, then fading prompts.
- Most-to-least prompting
- Beginning with the most intrusive prompt and gradually reducing it as the learner succeeds.
- Least-to-most prompting
- Giving the least intrusive prompt needed, increasing assistance only if the learner does not respond.
- Prompt fading
- Systematically reducing prompts to transfer stimulus control to the natural discriminative stimulus.
- Time delay (prompting)
- Inserting a delay between the natural cue and the prompt (constant or progressive) to transfer stimulus control.
- Stimulus fading
- Gradually changing a salient stimulus feature that controls responding toward the natural stimulus.
- Modeling
- Demonstrating a target behavior for the learner to imitate.
- Generalization programming
- Actively planning for behavior change to spread across settings, people, and stimuli (e.g., teaching loosely, common stimuli).
- Schedule thinning
- Gradually reducing the frequency of reinforcement to promote maintenance.
- Group contingency
- A contingency applied to a group: independent, dependent, or interdependent.
- Independent group contingency
- A contingency in which each member earns reinforcement based on their own behavior.
- Dependent group contingency
- A contingency in which the whole group's reinforcement depends on a target individual's behavior.
- Interdependent group contingency
- A contingency in which the group earns reinforcement only if a collective criterion is met.
- Time-out from positive reinforcement
- A negative-punishment procedure removing access to reinforcement for a period following a behavior.
- Response cost
- A negative-punishment procedure that removes a specified amount of reinforcer (e.g., tokens) following a behavior.
- Overcorrection
- A punishment procedure requiring restitution (restitutional) or repeated correct practice (positive practice).
- Restitutional overcorrection
- Requiring the person to restore the environment to a better state than before the behavior.
- Positive practice overcorrection
- Requiring repeated correct practice of an appropriate behavior following the problem behavior.
- Conditioned reinforcement (procedure)
- Establishing a neutral stimulus as a reinforcer by pairing it with existing reinforcers.
- Behavioral contract
- A written agreement specifying behaviors, contingencies, and consequences between parties.
- Premack principle
- Using a higher-probability behavior to reinforce a lower-probability behavior (grandma's rule).
- Contextual fit
- The compatibility of an intervention with the values, skills, and resources of the people and setting implementing it.
- Least restrictive intervention
- Selecting the least intrusive procedure likely to be effective, favoring reinforcement over punishment.
- Evidence-based practice
- Integrating the best available evidence with clinical expertise and client values and context.
- Function-based intervention
- An intervention selected to match the maintaining function of the behavior identified by assessment.
- Data-based decision making
- Using direct measurement of behavior to decide whether to continue, modify, or fade an intervention.
- Behavioral relapse
- The recurrence of a previously reduced behavior; includes resurgence and renewal.
- Resurgence
- The reappearance of a previously reinforced behavior when a more recently reinforced behavior is placed on extinction.
- Renewal
- The recurrence of an extinguished behavior when the context changes from the one in which extinction occurred.
- Target behavior
- The specific behavior selected for change in an intervention.
- Treatment fidelity (implementation)
- How faithfully an intervention is delivered as designed; low fidelity is a leading reason plans appear to fail.
- Side effects of reinforcement
- Unintended effects (e.g., reinforcing an unwanted concurrent behavior) the analyst plans to mitigate.
- Antecedent intervention
- Modifying the environment before behavior occurs (e.g., manipulating MOs, offering choice) to reduce problem behavior.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Coordinating with professionals in other fields to enhance the client's services and outcomes.
- Measurable goal
- An intervention objective stated in observable, measurable terms with a clear criterion.
- Socially significant goal
- A target that genuinely improves the client's quality of life and is valued by stakeholders.
- Generalization (intervention goal)
- Programming so behavior change occurs beyond the training conditions and is maintained.
- Behavioral skills training (BST)
- An evidence-based training package: instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback, continued to mastery.
- Instructions (BST)
- Describing the target skill and its rationale to the trainee.
- Modeling (BST)
- Demonstrating the target skill correctly for the trainee.
- Rehearsal (BST)
- Having the trainee practice the skill.
- Feedback (BST)
- Delivering specific positive and corrective feedback after practice, repeated to a mastery criterion.
- Performance feedback
- Information about a person's performance used to improve or maintain it; positive and corrective.
- Organizational behavior management (OBM)
- Applying behavior-analytic principles to improve performance in organizations.
- Performance Diagnostic Checklist (PDC)
- A function-based assessment tool identifying why a performance problem occurs before selecting an intervention.
- Task clarification
- Clearly specifying what is expected of a performer; a common antecedent intervention in OBM.
- Competency-based supervision
- Supervision that targets mastery of specific skills drawn from a skills assessment of the supervisee.
- Supervision contract
- A written agreement establishing expectations, responsibilities, and structure for the supervisory relationship.
- Pinpoint (OBM)
- A precise, observable, measurable definition of the performance targeted for change.
- Fidelity monitoring
- Observing and measuring whether staff implement procedures as designed.
- In-situ training
- Training conducted in the natural environment where the skill must be performed, to promote generalization.
- Effective supervisory relationship
- A structured relationship with clear expectations, observation, and feedback applied to the supervisee's behavior.
- Data-based supervision decisions
- Using performance data to evaluate and adjust the efficacy of one's own supervision.
- Equity in supervision
- Providing fair, culturally responsive supervision and equitable opportunities to supervisees.
- Function-based supervision
- Identifying why a supervisee's performance problem occurs (skill vs. motivation vs. resources) before intervening.
- ABA vs. EAB vs. professional practice
- ABA = applied research on socially significant behavior; EAB = basic research on principles; professional practice = service delivery guided by the science.
- Premack vs. response deprivation
- Premack uses a higher-probability behavior to reinforce a lower one; response-deprivation theory predicts reinforcement when access to a behavior is restricted below baseline.
- Habituation
- A decrease in respondent behavior with repeated presentation of the eliciting stimulus.
- Conditioned motivating operation (reflexive)
- A CMO-R: a stimulus that precedes worsening/improving conditions and evokes behavior that has avoided that change (e.g., a warning).
- Discrimination training
- Reinforcing a response in the presence of an SD and withholding it in the S-delta to bring behavior under stimulus control.
- Generalized imitation
- Imitation of novel models that occurs without direct reinforcement, after a history of reinforced imitation.
- Total-count IOA
- An IOA method comparing the smaller total count to the larger total count across an entire session.
- Mean count-per-interval IOA
- An IOA method averaging the agreement of counts within each interval; more conservative than total-count IOA.
- Exact-count-per-interval IOA
- The most conservative IOA: the percentage of intervals in which observers recorded the identical count.
- Standard Celeration Chart
- A semi-logarithmic chart used in precision teaching to display celeration (rate change) over time.
- Withdrawal vs. reversal
- A withdrawal design removes the IV (A-B-A); a true reversal also actively reverses the contingency to the alternative behavior (e.g., DRO/DRA).
- Sequence (carryover) effects
- Effects in which the order of conditions influences the results; a concern in alternating-treatments designs.
- Dignity and self-determination
- Respecting clients' rights to make choices about their own services and lives wherever possible.
- Right to effective treatment
- The client's right to receive the most effective, evidence-based, least restrictive treatment available.
- Maintaining records
- Creating, storing, and disposing of client records accurately, securely, and per legal and ethical requirements.
- Indirect vs. descriptive vs. FA
- Indirect = informant report; descriptive = direct ABC observation (correlational); functional analysis = experimental manipulation (causal).
- Antecedent in ABC
- The environmental event that immediately precedes the behavior and may set the occasion for it.
- Errorless vs. trial-and-error
- Errorless learning minimizes mistakes by prompting; trial-and-error allows errors and corrects them, which can strengthen errors.
- Lag schedule of reinforcement
- A schedule that reinforces a response only if it differs from a set number of previous responses; used to build variability.
- High-probability request sequence
- Delivering several easy (high-p) requests before a difficult (low-p) one to increase compliance via behavioral momentum.
- Extinction-induced variability
- An increase in the variety of responses that often accompanies the onset of extinction.
- Mitigating relapse
- Planning for resurgence and renewal by thinning carefully, programming across contexts, and maintaining the alternative behavior.
- Contextual fit vs. effectiveness
- An intervention must be both effective AND a good contextual fit; an effective plan that staff cannot implement will fail.
- Performance vs. skill deficit
- A skill ('can't do') deficit calls for training (BST); a performance ('won't do') deficit calls for motivation/consequence changes.
- Antecedent + consequence in OBM
- Effective OBM pairs antecedent strategies (task clarification, goal setting) with consequence strategies (feedback, reinforcement).
