Guest Blog Post by Katherine May, Ed.D., BCBA Automatic Reinforcement: Auto = Self! Automatic reinforcement refers to reinforcement that occurs independent of the social mediation of others. Response products that function as automatic reinforcement are often in the form of a naturally produced sensory consequence that, “sound good, looks good, tastes good, smells good, feels good to touch, or the…
Everyday, I help break down a confusing ABA term and put it in plain English! Whether you are studying for your BCBA exam, explaining ABA to parents or are a student, there is no reason to be so confused over ABA terms. While “behavioral language” is very confusing, these concepts don’t have to be. Today we will break down automatic…
It is natural for a parent to want to give their child a consequence for having a tantrum. This is never a bad idea. It will help make sure that it does not occur again. However, it only works if consequence matches the function of the behavior or the reason the behavior occurred. Parents often consider what a child does when deciding on a consequence. In contrast, a behavior analyst looks at why a child engaged in a behavior or the function of the behavior. There are five main functions of behavior: Social positive reinforcement in…