ABC's of Behavior
What does the "A", "B", and "C" stand for in the ABC's of behavior?
What are antecedent, behavior, and consequence
Name this function: Person engages in a behavior to avoid, delay, or escape a sensation, activity, person, or item.
What is escape?
Ms. Smith, Bill's teacher, asks the class a question. Bill raises his hand. Ms. Smith calls on him to answer the question. What is the behavior?
Hand raising
During indoor recess, Robert was building with the magnatiles when another peer came up and took them away without asking. Robert pushed the peer away and took the magnatiles back. What is the hypothesized function?
Access to tangible
What is a behavior?
Name this function: A person engages in a behavior to gain access to a preferred item or activity.
What is access to tangible?
Mary walks into her classroom after coming back from taking a break. Her teacher tells her that it is time for ELA. Mary begins swearing at the teacher, telling her that she is not doing ELA. The teacher sends Mary on another break outside of class. What is the consequence?
Sending Mary on a break outside of class
Sometimes, Emma gets reprimanded when she interrupts the teacher. Other times she is prompted to raise her hand. Emma is starting to interrupt the teacher more and more. What is the hypothesized function?
Attention
This occurs directly BEFORE the behavior.
What is an antecedent?
Name this function: A person engages in a behavior to get response from another person (can be positive or negative).
What is attention?
During a fire drill, the teacher gave the direction to line up quietly. Billy began to make noises and attempt to talk to peers in front and behind him in line. The teacher asked Billy to be quiet during the fire drill. Billy continued to make noises and talk very loudly. What is the consequence?
Teacher redirected Billy/asked to be quiet during the fire drill
Suzie struggled during Math class, so she frequently acted out to get removed from the class. Suzie called out without her hand, in which the teacher warned her that if that happened again, she would get sent to the principal's office. Suzie called out again, and got sent to the office. Suzie continued to call out during Math class. What is the potential function?
Escape
This occurs directly AFTER the behavior (response).
What is a consequence?
Name this function: A person engages in behavior to experience a pleasant sensation (feels good) or reduce discomfort.
What is sensory?
It is arrival time and Carl is asked to check in from staff. Carl comes in, lays on the floor, and states he is not going to check in. Staff approach Carl asking him what they can do to help, if he needs anything, etc. Carl lays on the floor with his jacket over his head. What is the antecedent?
Asked to check in from staff (given an instruction).
Sally engages in self-injurious behaviors and pushes her eyeballs into her sockets slightly. She found that if she does that she can see cool pictures and objects. She will keep pushing her eyeballs into their sockets because she enjoys the SENSATION from it. What is the hypothesized function?
Sensory
What is an antecedent?
With this function, ways to reinforce might include praise, spending time together, talking, and redirection.
What is attention?
A student is working on a writing assignment when the his pencil breaks. The student gets up and sharpens his pencil. The student sits back at his desk and continues to write. What is the antecedent?
Oliver is given an assignment to complete. He sits at his seat and puts his head down. The teacher walks away and he picks his head back up. Oliver looks to make sure the teacher is looking every time they swipe their work on the floor.
What is the possible function(s)? Can there be more than one function?
Attention and escape?
Attention: to try to obtain teacher's attention
Escape: refusing to complete the work/put head down and avoid