Guest blog post by Dr. Katherine May, Ed.D., BCBA Behavior traps are powerful contingencies of reinforcement with four defining features: Clients are “baited” with virtually irresistible reinforcers Only a low effort response already in the clients repertoire is needed to enter the trap Interrelated contingencies of reinforcement inside the trap motivate the student to acquire, extend, and maintain targeted skills…
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…
A common mistake that people make is confusing Discriminating Stimulus (SD) with the Stimulus Delta (SΔ). However, it is a very easy distinction. Here is how to tell the difference. Discriminating Stimulus (SD) A SD signals that a reinforcer is available for a response. So example, Example 1.) Jenny, an ABA therapist, is working with Ben, a four year old…
Behavior falls under two main classes: respondent behavior and operant behavior. As a result, behavior analysts use two main procedures: respondent and operant conditioning. Respondent Behavior Respondent behavior is behavior that is caused by stimulus in the environment. The behavior is unlearned and a reflex. A behavior is elicited, unintentional and cannot be controlled. This was first developed by Watson…
Response Class v. Behavior Repertoire Response class and behavior repertoire are two terms that may appear on your board certified applied behavior analysis (BCBA) qualification exam. They are simple yet often overlooked terms. Response Class Response class refers to all the behaviors that serve the same function. This is regardless of whether they are perceived to be “good” or “bad.” …
What is a behavior? A behavior refers to any interaction between an organism and its environment that changes the environment in some way. For example: Clapping your hands, walking, making dinner, ordering a pizza, sleeping, sneezing. Anything that a dead person could not do is a behavior. An inanimate object cannot engage in a behavior. For example, a paper blowing…
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is not the only science of behavior. Therefore, behavior analysts had to set specific criteria for what makes something ABA. Therefore, in order for something to be considered ABA, it must meet all seven of the following criteria. If any are missing, a treatment would not be considered ABA. Applied Any behavior being changed in ABA…
Parsimony simply means that when conducting a scientific experiment to always choose the most simple explanation. The classic example, “If you hear hoofbeats, think horse — not zebra.” Here are some examples of parsimony in ABA terms. Every day after school, Joe gets off the bus, walks into the kitchen and cries. His mom gives him a cookie as soon…
Why Conduct Baseline Probes The purpose for conducting baseline probes is to establish a control in an experiment. In order to know whether or not an intervention (independent variable) changed a behavior (dependent variable) you would need a reference as to how often the behavior occurs prior to starting an intervention. You can learn some other very important things when…
In order for an ABA study to be considered valid it must have all of the following components. At least 1 subject An experiment must have at least one subject. This can be either an individual or group. It can also have multiple participants. Setting An experiment must have at least one setting or place in which the experiment takes…