Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis

EABA 400

Response Classes

A group of responses that produce the same effect on the environment.

Stimulus Class

A set of stimuli sharing a common functional effect on behavior.

Operant Conditioning

Behavior influenced by consequences; involves reinforcement or punishment.

Negative Reinforcement

Behavior increases because a stimulus is removed.

Positive Punishment

Behavior decreases because a stimulus is added.

Automatic Reinforcement

Behavior is reinforced directly, without social mediation.

Conditioned Reinforcer

A stimulus that becomes reinforcing via pairing with other reinforcers.

Fixed Ratio Schedule

Reinforcement delivered after a fixed number of responses.

Operant Extinction

Behavior decreases because reinforcement is withheld.

Stimulus Discrimination

Behavior occurs in the presence of one stimulus but not another.

Motivating Operation

Alters the value of a reinforcer or punisher and changes behavior frequency.

Rule-Governed Behavior

Behavior controlled by verbal instructions, not direct contingencies.

Mand

A verbal operant under control of a motivating operation and reinforced by a specific consequence.

Equivalence Relations

Derived relations that emerge without direct training.

High-Probability Request Sequence

Used to increase compliance, demonstrating behavioral momentum.

Imitation

Behavior evoked by a model that matches the topography of the response.