Tag: Reinforcers

What is a superstitious behavior? (ABA Terms) (BCBA Exam Prep)

A superstitious behavior is developed when a behavior is inadvertently reinforced by a behavior that precedes it. In Skinner’s example, pigeons were provided with non-contingent reinforcement in the form of bird seed every fifteen seconds and they developed idiosyncratic behaviors because they the bird seed inadvertently reinforced whatever behavior the pigeon was engaging in prior to getting the food.  Most…

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Starting School With Autism

Congratulations! Your child is about to start school. It is exciting, but it can also be scary. Sending any child to school for the first time is hard for any parent, sending a child with special needs to school, especially one that has a difficult time communicating can be even scarier.  Fortunately, there are things that you can do to…

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An interesting "spin" on Reinforcement.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the most well researched and scientifically validated methods for teaching children with Autism new skills.  It is based upon the behavior principle that what happens before a behavior and what happens after a behavior will determine if it happens again. If a person engages in a behavior and they do not get what they want,…

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Using Antecedent Modifications to Reduce Tantrums

When dealing with tantrums, it always helps to be proactive rather than reactive. Tantrums are unpleasant for everyone, including your child. It is always better to just to avoid them. Us behavior analysts have a fancy term for proactive strategies– antecedent modifications. Antecedent modifications are things that you do before a behavior occurs to make it either more likely or…

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Why it's SO Important to Mix-up Reinforcers!

Wondering why your ABA therapist is constantly asking you for reinforcers. Will there ever been an end to the dollar store trips? Find out why your therapist keeps asking for new stuff! Credits: Photo: Morguefile Sound effect: Incomputek Intro: Graeme Kan Video Production: Highlander Productions Disclaimer: This video is intended for information purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose…

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