Cooper ABA Terms

Abative effect (of motivating operation)

A decrease in the current frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by the stimulus that is increased in reinforcing effectiveness by the same motivating operation

Abolishing operation (AO)

A motivating operation that decreases the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event.

Accuracy (of measurement)

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

adjusctive behavior

behavior that occurs as a collateral effect of a schedule of periodic reinforcement for other behavior; time filling or interim activities such as doodling or idle talking

Affirmation of the consequent

Three-step form of reasoning that begins with a true antecedent-consequent statement and proceeds as follows; if a is true then b is true, if b is proved to be true, then a is true

Alternating treatments design

An experimental design in which two or more conditions are presented in rapidly alternating succession independent of the level of responding; also called concurrent schedule, multielement design, multiple schedule design

Alternative schedule

Provides reinforcement whenever the requirement of either a ratio schedule or an interval schedule is met, regardless of which of the component schedule's requirement is met first

Anecdotal observation

A form of direct, continuous observation in which the observer records a descriptive, temporally sequenced account of all behavior of interest and the antecedent conditions and consequences for those behaviors as those events occur in the clients natural environments

Antecedent

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

Antecedent intervention

A behavior change strategy that manipulates contingency-independent antecedent stimuli.

Antecedent stimulus class

a set of stimuli that share a common relationship. All stimuli in an antecedent stimulus class evoke the same operant behavior or elicit the same respondent behavior

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

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 a 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.

automatic punishment

Punishment that occurs independent of the social mediation by others

automatic reinforcement

Reinforcement that occurs independent of the social mediation of others

automaticity (of reinforcement)

refers to the fact that behavior is modified by its consequences irrespective of the persons awareness; a person does not have to recognize or verbalize the relation between her behavior and a reinforcing consequence, or even know that a consequence has occurred for reinforcement to "work"

aversive stimulus

unpleasant or noxious stimulus; more technically a stimulus change or condition that functions (a) to evoke a behavior that has terminated it in the past (b) as a punisher when presented following behavior (c) as a reinforcer when withdrawn following behavior

avoidance contingency

a contingency in which a response prevents or postpones the presentation of a stimulus

back up reinforcers

tangible objects, actives, or privileges that serve as reinforcers and that can be purchased with tokens.

backward chaining

A teaching procedure in which a trainer completes all but the last behavior in a chain which is performed by the learner, who then receives reinforcement for completing the chain. When the learner shows competence in performing the final step in the chain, the trainer performs all but the last two behaviors in the chain, the learner emits the final two steps to complete the chain, and reinforcement is delivered. This sequence is continued until the learner completes the entire chain independently.

bar graph

a simple and versatile graph is format for summarizing behavioral data

baseline

a condition of experiment in which the independent variable is not present

baseline logic

A term sometimes used to refer to the experimental reasoning inherent in single-subject experimental designs; includes prediction, verification, and replication.

behavior

activity of living organisms; human behavior includes everything that people do. "The portion of an organisms interaction with its environment that is characterized by detectable displacement in space through time of some part of the organism and that results in a measurable change in at least one aspect of the environment.

behavior altering effect

An alteration in the current frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by the stimulus that is altered in effectiveness by the same motivating operation.

behavior chain

A sequence of responses in which each response produces a stimulus change that functions as conditioned reinforcement for that response and as a discriminative stimulus for the next response in the chain; reinforcement for the last response in a chain maintains the reinforcing effectiveness of the stimulus changes produced by all previous responses in the chain.

behavior change tactic

Technology consistent method of changing behavior derived from one or more principles of behavior

behavior checklist

Checklist that provides descriptions of specific skills and the conditions under which each skill should be observed. Some checklists are designed to assess one particular behavior or skill area.

behavior trap

an interrelated community of contingencies of reinforcement that can be especially powerful, producing substantial and long-lasting behavior changes. Effective behavior traps share 4 essential features: 1. they are baited with virtually irresistible reinforcers that "lure" the student to the trap. 2. only a low effort response already in the students repertoire is necessary to enter the trap. 3. once inside the trap, interrelated contingencies of reinforcement motivate the student to acquire, extend, and maintain targeted academic and or social skills. 4. they can remain effective for a long time because students shows few if any sensation effects

behavioral assessment

A form of assessment that involves a full range of inquiry methods to identify probably antecedent and consequent controlling variables of a target behavior.

behavioral contrast

the phenomenon in which a change in one component of a multiple schedule that increases or decreases the rate of responding on that component is accompanied by a change in the response rate in the opposite direction on the other, unaltered component of the schedule

behavioral cusp

A behavior that has sudden and dramatic consequences that extend well beyond the idiosyncratic change itself because it exposes the person to new environments, reinforcers, contingencies, responses, and stimulus controls

behavioral momentum

a metaphor to describe a rate of responding and its resistance to change following an alteration in reinforcement conditions. The momentum metaphor has also been used to describe the effects produced by the high-probability (high-p) request sequence

behaviorism

The philosophy of a science of behavior; there are various forms of behaviorism

believability

The extent to which the researcher convinces herself and others that the data are trustworthy and deserve interpretation. Measures of Interobserver agreement are the most often used index of believability in ABA

bonus response cost

a procedure for implementing response cost in which the person is provided a reservoir of reinforcers that are removed in predetermined amounts contingent on the occurrence of the target behavior

calibration

Any procedure used to evaluate the accuracy of a measurement system and when sources of error are found to use that information to correct or improve the measurement system

celeration

The change in rate of responding over time; Based on count per unit of time (rate); expressed as a factor by which responding is accelerating or decelerating;

celeration time period

a unit of time in which deceleration is plotted on a Standard Celeration Chart

celeration trend line

the celeration trend line is measured as a factor by which rate multiples or divides across the celeration time periods

chained schedule

A schedule of reinforcement in which the response requirements of two or more basic schedules must be met in a specific sequence before reinforcement is delivered

chaining

various procedures for teaching behavior chains

changing criterion design

An experimental design in which an initial baseline phase is followed by a series of treatment phases consisting of successive and gradually changing criteria for reinforcement or punishment. Experimental control is evidenced by the extent the level of responding changes to conform to each new criterion.

clicker training

a term for shaping behavior using conditioned reinforcement in the form of an auditory stimulus. A handheld device produces a click sound when pressed. The trainer pairs other forms of reinforcement with the click sound so that the sound becomes a conditioned reinforcer

component analysis

Any experiment design to identify the active elements of a treatment condition, the relative contributions of different variables in a treatment package, and or the necessary and sufficient components of an intervention. Component analyses take many forms, but the basic strategy is to compare levels of responding across successive phases in which the intervention is implemented with one or more components left out

compound schedule

Any experiment design to identify the active elements of a treatment condition, the relative contributions of different variables in a treatment package, and or the necessary and sufficient components of an intervention. Component analyses take many forms, but the basic strategy is to compare levels of responding across successive phases in which the intervention is implemented with one or more components left out

concept formation

a complex example of stimulus control that requires stimulus generalization within a class of stimuli and discrimination between classes of stimuli

concurrent schedule

a schedule of reinforcement in which two or more contingencies of reinforcement operate independently and simultaneously for two or more behaviors

conditional probability

The likelihood that a target behavior will occur in a given circumstance; computed by calculating (a) the proportion of occurrences of behavior that were preceded by a specific antecedent variable and (b) the proportion of occurrences of problem behavior that were followed by a specific consequence

conditioned motivating operation (CMO

a motivating operation whose value-altering effect depends on a learning history.

contitioned negative reinforcer

a previously neutral stimulus change that functions as a negative reinforcer because of prior pairing with one or more negative reinforcers

contitioned punisher

Previously neutral stimulus change that functions as a punisher because of prior pairing with one or more other punishers

conditioned reflex

A learned stimulus-response functional relation consisting of an antecedent stimulus and the response it elicits; a persons repertoire of conditioned reflexes is the product of history of interactions with environment.

conditioned reinforcer

Stimulus change that functions as a reinforcer because of prior pairing with one or more other reinforcers

conditioned stimulus

Stimulus component of a conditioned reflex; a formerly neutral stimulus change that elicits respondent behavior only after it has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus or another CS.

confounding variable

an uncontrolled factor known or suspected to exert influence on the dependent variable

consequence

A stimulus change that follows a behavior of interest. Some consequences, especially those that are immediate and relevant to current motivational states, have significant influence on future behavior

contingency

Refers to dependent and or temporal relations between operant behavior and its controlling variables.

contingency contract

a mutually agreed upon document between parties that specifies a contingent relationship between the completion of specifies behaviors ad access to specified reinforcers

contingency reversal

Exchanging the reinforcement contingencies for two topographically different responses. For example if behavior A results in reinforcement on an FR1 schedule of reinforcement and behavior B results in reinforcement being withheld, a contingency reversal consists of changing the contingencies such that Behavior A now results in extinction and Behavior B results in reinforcement on an FR1 schedule

contingent

Describes reinforcement that is delivered only after the target behavior has occurred.

contingent observation

a procedure for implementing time out in which the person is repositioned within an existing setting such that observation of ongoing activates remains, but access to reinforcement is lost

continuous measurement

Measurement conducted in a manner such that all instances of the response classes of interest are detected during the observation period

continuous reinforcement

A schedule of reinforcement that provides reinforcement for each occurrence of the target behavior

contrived contingency

any contingency of reinforcement (or punishment) designed and implemented by a behavior analyst or practitioner to achieve the acquisition, maintenance, and or generalization of a targeted behavior change.

contrived mediating stimulus

any stimulus made functional for the target behavior in the instructional setting that later prompts or aids the learner in performing the target behavior in a generalization setting

count

A simple tally of the number of occurrences of a behavior.

counting time

the period of time in which a count of the number of responses emitted was recorded

cumulative record

A type of graph on which the cumulative number of responses emitted is represented on the vertical axis

cummulative recorder

A device that automatically draws cumulative records that show the rate of response in real time

data

the results of measurement; usually in quantifiable form

data path

Level and trend of behavior between successive data points

delayed multiple baseline design

A variation of the multiple baseline design in which an initial baseline and perhaps intervention are begun for one behavior and subsequent baselines for additional behaviors are begun in a staggered or delayed fashion.

dependent group contingency

a contingency in which reinforcement for all members of a group is depended on the behavior of one member of the group or the behavior of a select group of members within the larger group

dependent variable

The variable in an experiment measured to determine if it changes as a result of manipulations of the independent variable; represents some measure of socially significant behavior

deprivation

State of an organism with respect to how much time has elapsed since it has consumed or contacted a particular type of reinforcer. Also a procedure for increasing the effectiveness of a reinforcer.

descending baseline

A data path that shows a decreasing trend in the response measure over time.

descriptive functional beheavior assessment

Direct observation of problem behavior and the antecedent and consequent events under naturally occurring conditions

determinism

The assumption that the universe is a lawful and orderly place in which phenomena occur in relation to other events and not in a willy-nilly, accidental fashion.

differential reinforcement

reinforcing only those responses within a response class that meet a specific criterion along some dimensions and placing all other responses in the class on extinction

differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA)

a procedure for decreasing problem behavior in which reinforcement is delivered for a behavior that serves as a desirable alternative to the behavior targeted for reduction and withheld following instances of the problem behavior

differential reinforcement of diminishing rates

reinforcement is provided at the end of a predetermined interval contingent on the number of responses emitted during the interval being fewer than a gradually decreasing criterion based on the individual's performance in previous intervals

differential reinforcement of high rates (DRH)

reinforcement is provided at the end of a predetermined interval contingent on the number of responses emitted during the interval being greater than a gradually increasing criterion based on the individuals performance in previous intervals

differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior

A procedure for decreasing problem behavior in which reinforcement is delivered for a behavior that is topographically incompatible with the behavior targeted for reduction and withheld following instances of the problem behavior

Differential reinforcement of low rates (DRL)

reinforcement (a) follows each occurrence of the target behavior that is separated from the previous response by a minimum Interresponse time or (b) is contingent on the number of responses within a period of time not exceeding a predetermined criterion

differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO)

A procedure for decreasing problem behavior in which reinforcement is contingent on the absence of the problem behavior during or at specific times

direct measurement

Occurs when the behavior that is measured is the same as the behavior that is the focus of the investigation.

direct replication

An experiment in which the researcher attempts to duplicate exactly the conditions of an earlier experiment

discontinuous measurement

Measurement conducted in a manner such that some instances of the response class of interest may not be detected

discrete trial

Any operant whose response rate is controlled by a given opportunity to emit the response. Each discrete response occurs when an opportunity to respond exists.

discriminated avoidance

a contingency in which a responding in the presence of a signal prevents the onset of a stimulus from which escape is a reinforcer

discriminated operant

An operant that occurs more frequently under some antecedent conditions than under other.

discriminative stimulus

Stimulus in the presence of which responses of some type have been reinforced and in the absence of which the same type of responses have occur and not been reinforced. History of differential reinforcement is the reason an SD increases the momentary frequency of the behavior.

double-blind control

A procedure that prevents the subject and the observer from detecting the presence or absence of the treatment variable

duration

A measure of the total extent of time in which a behavior occurs

echoic

an elementary verbal operant involving a response that is evoked by a verbal discriminative stimulus that has point-to-point correspondence and formal similarity with the response

ecological assessment

An assessment protocol that acknowledges complex interrelationships between environment and behavior. An ecological assessment is a method for obtaining data across multiple settings and persons.

empiricism

The objective observation of the phenomena of interest; objective observations are "independent of the individual prejudices, tastes, and private opinions of the scientist. Methods are objective and open to anyone's observations.