lawfulness of behavior
behavior is determined by specific conditions/variables
empiricism
objective observation of the phenomena of interest
... [Show More] based on thorough description, systematic and repeated measurement and precise quantification of the phenomena of interest.
experimental analysis
manipulate IV to observe changes DV
parsimony
all simple logical explanations for phenomenon under investigation must be ruled out before more complex explanations are considered (choose the simplest explanation that requires the fewest assumptions)
explain determinism as it relates to behavior analysis
in behavior analysis there is an assumption that behavior is lawfuland determined based upon specific conditions/variables
what is the difference between mentalistic and environmental explanations of behavior?
mentalistic is internal (thoughts feelings) environmental is external
what is experimental analysis of behavior?
the field of scientific investigation concerned with analysis of operant behavior
What is applied behavior analysis?
science in which the 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 the behavior
what are behavioral technologies?
clearly defined operative procedures that may be replicated by others based upon their descriptions
explain behavior in behavior analytic terms.
A-B-C three term contingency
Baer, Wolf & Risley 1968 - what are the dimensions of applied behavior analysis?
Applied - socially significant
Behavior- relevant (needs improvement), measureable, and whose behavior
Analytic - functional relationships exist - control
Behaviorism
the philosophy of the science of behavior.
determinism
the universe is a lawful and orderly place in which all phenomena occur as the result of other events
experiment
carefully conducted comparison of some dependent variable under two or more conditions in which only one independent variable at a time differs from conditions.
explanatory fiction
a fictitious variable that often is simply another name for the observed behavior that contributes nothing to an understanding of the variables responsible for developing or maintaining the behavior.
functional relation
specific change in one event can reliably be procedue by specific manipulations of another event (as in functional analysis)
hypothetical construct
presumed but unobserved entities that could not be manipulated in an experiment
mentalism
an approach to the study of behavior which assumes that a mental or inner dimension exists that differs from a behavioral dimension.
methodological behaviorism
a philosophical position that views behavioral events that cannot be publicly observed as outside the realm of science
philosophic doubt
continued questioning of the truthfulness of what is regarded as fact (maybe the world isn't flat) - willingness to set aside most cherished beliefts to replace them with new knowledge.
radical behaviorism
a thoroughgoing for of behaviorism that attempts to understand all human behavior, including private events such as thoughts or feelings, in terms of controlling variables in the history of the person (ontogeny) and the species (phylogeny)
replication
repeating of experiments (and/or repeating of independent variable conditions within experiments)
science
A systematic approach for seeking and organizing knowledge about the natural world - to achieve a thorough understanding of the phenomena under study
descriptive knowledge
collection of facts about the observed events that can be quantified, classified, and examined for possible relations. (as in basic observation)
prediction
repeated observations reveal that two events consistently covary with each other (correlation) (as in repeated FBA observation)
control
the highest level of scientific understanding with the existence of functional relations
respondent behavior
reflexive behavior- involuntary behavior elicited immediately by a stimulus (light constricts pupils)
operant behavior
behavior that is influenced by stimulus changes that have occured in the past
automaticity of reinforcement
...behavior is modified by it's consequences regardless of whether the individual is aware she is being reinforced
aversive stimulus
stimulus conditions whose termination function as reinforcement
behavior
used in reference to a set of responses that share topographical dimensions or functions - the activity of living organisms and the organism's interaction with the environment
behavior change tactic
a technologically consistent method for changing behavior that has been derived from one or more basic principles of behavior
conditioned punisher
stimulus events or conditions that are present or that occur just before or simultaneous with the occurrence of other punishers
conditioned reflex
the product of a respondent conditioning: stimulus stimulus pairing procedure in which a neutral stimulus is presented with an unconditioned stimulus until the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus that elicits the conditioned response
conditioned reinforcer
stimulus that have been paired with other reinforcers
antecedent
stuff that exist or occur prior to behavior of interest
conditioned stimulus
in classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response
consequence
stimulus changes that follow a behavior of interest
contingency
refers to dependent and/or temporal relations between operant behavior and its controlling variables
contingent
reinforcement or punishment that is delivered only after the target behavior has occurred
deprivation
the state of an organism with respect to how much time has elapsed since it has consumed or contacted a particular type of reinforcer. It also refers to a procedure used for increasing the effectiveness of a reinforcer (withholding access for a specified period of time prior to a session)
discriminated operant
a behavior that occurs more frequently under some antecedent conditions than others
discriminative stimulus (SD)
a 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 occurred and not been reinforced.
environment
the conglomerate of real circumstances in which the organism or reference part of the organism exists.
extinction
the discontinuing of a previously reinforced behavior - the primary effect is a decrease in the frequency of behavior until it reaches a pre-reinforced level or ultimately ceases to occur. [Show Less]