Goals of Science
The three goals of behavior analysis as a science.
What are description, prediction, and control?
A philosophical assumption underlying the science of behavior analysis that the world is an orderly, predictable, and lawful place where all events occur as a product of cause and effect.
What is determinism?
A branch of behavior analysis that examines the philosophical, theoretical, historical, and methodological issues within the science of behavior.
What is behaviorism?
An acronym used to memorize the seven dimensions of ABA.
What is GET A CAB?
A dimension of ABA, which explains that ABA procedures must be derived from the basic principles of behavior analysis.
What is conceptually systematic?
A collection of facts about the observed event(s) that can be quantified, classified and examined for possible similarities to other known facts.
What is description?
A philosophical assumption underlying the science of behavior analysis that knowledge is built on objective observation and measurement (data).
What is empiricism?
The philosophical position that uses scientific manipulations to look for functional relations between events but excludes events that can not be overtly or publicly observed.
What is methodological behaviorism?
A dimension of ABA, which explains that a functional relationship is demonstrated when manipulated events (independent variables) produce a reliable change in any measurable dimension of the targeted behavior (dependent variables) and exhibit a reliable functional relation.
What is analytic?
A dimension of ABA, which explains that ABA treatment must aim to improve socially significant behaviors in real-world settings.
What is applied?
Repeated observations reveal that observing other events can consistently result in accurately anticipating an outcome.
What is prediction?
A philosophical assumption underlying the science of behavior analysis that anything that evolves does so because of the consequences of behavior, meaning that behaviors that result in positive consequences survive and produce more sophisticated repertoires.
What is selectionism?
A specific type of behaviorism which holds that all human behavior, including private events like thinking and feeling, can be understood or explained as a result of interactions with the environment.
What is radical behaviorism?
A dimension of ABA which explains that ABA procedures must be defined clearly and in detail. Hence, they are replicable and can generate the same results as the previous implementation of the same procedures.
What is technological?
A dimension of ABA, which explains that ABA treatment must target measurable and observable behavior.
What is behavioral?
A specific change in one event can be reliably produced by scientific manipulation of another event. This change is not due to other factors or variables.
What is control?
A philosophical assumption underlying the science of behavior analysis that focuses on practical solutions (e.g., if it works, don’t fix it), which at the level of behavior, involves the relation between the setting (A) and the behavior (B) is because of the consequence (C).
What is pragmatism?
A branch of behavior analysis that deals with research on basic processes and principles and is mainly conducted in laboratories.
What is the experimental analysis of behavior?
A dimension of ABA, which explains that any behavior change should persist across time, settings, behaviors, and people that differ from the original intervention conditions.
What is generality?
Larry, before beginning an intervention, conducted an assessment were he manipulated the antecedents and consequences to establish cause and effect relationship between the target behavior and the antecedents and consequences. This scenario indicates that Larry was following _____________ dimension of ABA.
What is analytic?
You are observing a child in their classroom who engages in screaming and banging on their desk when the teacher does not pay attention to them. After several days of observing this same interaction, you can hypothesize that when the child is not receiving attention from the teacher, they will engage in screaming and banging on their desk. What goal of the science are you engaging in?
What is prediction?
A philosophical assumption underlying the science of behavior analysis that the simplest theory requiring the fewest assumptions must be ruled out before considering more complex explanations.
What is parsimony?
A science based on the use of learning principles to improve socially important behavior
What is applied behavior analysis?
A dimension of ABA, which explains that ABA procedures should result in a practical, socially significant improvement in a person’s life.
What is effective?
A behavior analyst is working with a group of children to improve their social skills. The behavior analyst teaches social skills by using differential reinforcement, a proven and well researched method of behavior change. This scenarios indicates that the behavior analyst was following the _____________ dimension of ABA.
What is conceptually systematic?