Exam 1 aba 10/15/26

Chapter 1

What is behavior

Behavior is anything that can be directly observed, described and recorded by others and the person engaging in the behaviors. Have an impact on the environment. Is lawful which means that its occurrence is systematically influenced by environmental events.

Covert

Covert behaviors are the behaviors we cannot see so feelings and thoughts, thinking, feelings, and perceptions.

Covert behaviors can be inferred from overt behaviors.

Overt

Behaviors that we can directly measure.

Behavior modification

When we use scientifically proven methods to modify maladaptive behaviors. Analyze the functional relationship between the environment and a particular behavior and modify it by developing and implementing procdeudres to help people change their behavior. It focuses on behavior, environmental issues as a focus, precise description of behavior modification procedures, and measurement of behavior change.

Behavior modification focusing on behavior

Target behavior, behavioral deficit, and behavioral excess.

Behavioral deficit

An adaptive behavior that isn’t happening often

Behavioral excess

A maladaptive behavior that is done in excess.

Environmental issues a focus of BM

Assessing and modifying environmental events that impact behavior.

Precise Description of BM procedures

Specific changes in environment related to behavior.

Measurement of Behavior change

Measurement of behavior before and after treatment.

Defining themes and characteristics of behavior modification

scientific, active, in-vivo, present-focus, learning focus, individualized, step-wise progression, treatment packages, brevity.

Scientific

Based on empirical methods. Commitment to a scientific approach that involves precision and empirical evaluation. All aspects of behavior therapy are defined precisely, including the behaviors targeted for change, treatment goals, assessment and procedures.

Active

The client actively works with the therapist to bring about change. Clients do something about their difficulties rather than just talk about them. Clients perform therapeutic tasks in their everyday environment called homework and their carried out in the persons natural environment.

In-vivo

Therapy/techniques happen in real time and within the clients natural environment. Therapy procedures that are implemented in the clients natural environment.

Present-focus

Focuses on the behaviors currently happening within the individual, what is affecting them right now. Assume that clients problems, which occur in the present, are influenced by current conditions. They focus on the current rather than past to find factors responsible for the clients problems.

Collaboration between the therapist and the client

Decisions about the therapy goals are made jointly, therapist may work with client in their own environment, therapist may teach parents and other change agents.

Clients are their own change agents

Clients instrumental in changing their own behaviors are more likely to maintain change, its empowering, illustrates the self-control approach, may be able to cope with future problems by themselves.

Learning focus

Focuses on teaching the client skills they can take with them even after therapy and that will help change their behavior. Most problem behaviors develop, are maintained, and change primarily through learning, some are due to heredurty or biology, provides clients with learning experiences in which new (adaptive) behaviors replace old (maladaptive) behaviors

Individualized

Treatment is tailored to each individuals needs and uniqueness.

Stepwise progression

Treatment is introduced step by step depending on what the client needs.

Treatment packages

Various different treatments included in one to support the clients experience,

Brevity

Treatments often last very little

Therapist-client relationship in ABA

The therapist client relationship is held as very important but not as important as the skills or therapies provided, Relationship facilitates the implementation of specific therapy procedures.

Positive reinforcement

When a stimulus is added to make a behavior occur more often

Modeling and behavioral rehearsal

Response cost

Cognitive Restructuring

Stress-inoculation training

Extinction and differential reinforcement of other behaviors

Token economy

When clients are rewarded for performing an adaptive behavior with a token that symbolizes something of interest for them such as rewards, coupons, more screen time, etc.

Shaping; Positively reinforcing behavior that looks similar to the target behavior until the target behavior is reached.

Extinction

When a behavior that stops being reinforced stops occurring.

Ethics

Have the goals of treatment be adequately considered, has the choice of treatment methods been adequately considered, is the clients participation voluntary, has the adequacy been evaluated, has the confidentiality of the treatment been protected, and finally is the therapist qualified to provide treatment

Classical conditioning

When a neutral stimulus is paired with repeatedly paired with a stimulus that naturally elicts a particular response

Unconditioned stimulus

A neutral stimulus that produces no response

Unconditioned response

A response that naturally occurs with no conditioning

Conditioned stimulus

A stimulus that has been conditioned to produce a response

Conditioned response

A response that was pair with a stimulus to produce a response

Little albert

Conditioned to fear mice.

Conditioned phobias

Biological preparedness

Contrapreparedness

Stimulus generalization

When one fear is generalized to things in the similar category whether it be color, shape, size

.

Stimulus discrimination

When a fear of something isn’t generalized to things outside of its category, it is able to tell the difference between feared stimulus and another thing.

Counterconditioning

Conditioned to have positive (systematic desensitization), a behavior modification technique in which an unwanted emotional or behavioral response to a specific stimulus is replaced by a new, desirable response by pairing that stimulus with an opposing, incompatible stimulus

Extinction of a conditioned response

Occurs when a previously conditioned response decreases in frequency and eventually dissapears

Acquisition

Spontaneous recovery

Reemergence of an extinguished conditioned response after a period of rest and with no further conditioning

Operant conditioning