Applied Behavior Analysis

Cooper Glossary

AB design

A two-phase experimental design consisting of a pretreatment baseline condition; A followed by treatment condition B

ABA design

A three phase experimental design consisting of an initial baseline phase (A) until steady rate responding (or counter therapeutic trend) is obtained, an intervention phase in which the treatment condition (B) is implemented until the behavior has changed and steady rate responding is obtained, and a return to baseline conditions (A) by withdrawing the independent variable to see whether responding reverses to levels observed in the initial baseline phase.

ABAB design

An experimental design consisting of

(1) an initial baseline phase (A) until steady rate responding (or counter therapeutic trend) is obtained

(2) an initial intervention phase in which the treatment variable (B) is implemented until the behavior has changed and steady rates responding is obtained

(3) a return to baseline conditions (A) by withdrawing the independent variable to see whether responding reverses to levels observed in the initial baseline phase

(4) a second intervention phase (B) to see other the initial treatment effects are replicated

Aka reversal, withdrawal designs

Abative effect

A decrease in the current frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by some stimulus, object or event whose reinforcing effectiveness depends on the same motivating operation.

For example, food ingestion abates (decreases the current frequency of) behavior such as opening the fridge that has been reinforced by food.

Abolishing Operation

A motivating operation that decreases the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event. For example, the reinforcing effectiveness of food is decreased as a result of food ingestion.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

An evidence-based therapy focusing on general well-being, defined as making reliable contact with high-priority positive reinforcers.

Accuracy (of measurement)

The extent to which observed values, the data produced by measuring an event, math the true state or true values, of the event as exits in nature

Adapted alternating treatment design

A variation of the multielement design for comparing the efficiency of instructional procedures. The comparison phase of the design features the alternating application of the two (usually) or more different teaching methods, each method applied to different members of the same response or skill class, such as reading printed words, defining vocabulary terms, spelling words, answering math problems, and stating history facts.

add-in component analysis

A method for conducting a component analysis in which components are assessed individually or in combination before the complete treatment package is presented. This method can identify sufficient components. Sequence and floor ceiling effects may mask the effects of components added toward the end of the analysis.

Adjunctive behavior

Behavior that occurs as collateral effect of a schedule of periodic reinforcement for other behavior; time-filling or interim activities (e.g., doodling, idle talking, smoking, drinking) that are induced by schedules of reinforcement during times when reinforcement is unlikely to be delivered.

Affirmation of the consequent

A three-step form of reasoning that begins with a true antecedent-consequent (if-A-then-B) statement and proceeds as follows: (1) If A is true, then B is true; (2) B is found to be true; (3) therefore, A is true. Although other factors could responsible for the truthfulness of A, a sound experiment affirms if A-then-B possibilities, each one reducing the likelihood of factors other than the independent variable being the responsible for the observed changes in behavior

alternative schedule

provides reinforcement when the response requirements of any of two or more simultaneously available component schedules are met

anecdotal observation

a form of direct, continuous observation in which the observer records a descriptive, temporally sequenced account of all behavior(s) of interest and the antecedent conditions and consequences for those behaviors as those events occur in the client’s natural environment.

antecedent

an environmental condition or stimulus change existing or occurring prior to a behavior of interest

antecedent exercise

an antecedent intervention, implemented independently of occurrences of the problem behavior, that usually has clients engage in some effortful form of aerobic activity (e.g., walking, jogging, dancing, calisthenics, roller skating). Applied behavior analysts have used antecedent exercise in the treatment of many maladaptive behaviors such as self-injurious behavior, aggression, and diverse behaviors. such as inappropriate vocalizations, repetitive movements, talking-out, out-of-seat, and stereotypic behaviors.

antecedent intervention

A behavior change strategy that manipulates antecedent stimuli based on (a) motivating operations, (b) stimulus control, (c ) contingency-independent interventions (e.g. protective equipment and restraint)

applied behavior analysis

The science in which tactics derived from the principles of behavior are applied to improve socially significant behavior and experimentation is used to identify the variables responsible for the improvement in behavior.

Arbitrarily applicable relational responding

forming new stimulus classes with little or no reinforced practice

Arbitrary relations

stimuli to which people respond in interlocked ways, not because of physical similarity, but because social-verbal reinforcement contingencies teach people to respond to them in this way

Arbitrary stimulus class

Antecedent stimuli that evoke the same response but do not resemble each other in physical form or share relational aspect such as bigger or under (e.g., peanuts, cheese, coconut milk, and chicken breasts are all members of this type foo class if they evoke the response “sources of protein).

Artifact

an outcome or result that appears to exist because of the way it is measured but in fact does not correspond to what actually occurred.

Ascending baseline

a data path that shows an increasing trend in the response measure over time

Audience

anyone who functions as a discriminative stimulus evoking verbal behavior. Different audiences may control different verbal behavior about the same topic because of a differential reinforcement history. Teens. may describe the same event in different ways when talking to peers versus parents.

Autoclitic

this relation involves two interlocking levels of verbal behavior emitted in one utterance. One level is a primary response (e.g., “The ice is solid”), while the other type of a secondary autocratic response (e.g., adding “I think”). Autoclitic behavior benefits the listener by providing additional information regarding the primary response.

Autoclitic frame

Provide structure among verbal operants in terms of order, agreement, grouping, and composition of larger units of verbal behavior such as sentences. They help speakers generate novel utterances. For example, experience with he frame “the girl’s (ball, dog, coat) may enable a child to say “the girl’s hat” without prior teaching.