BJC key terms

A learning process in which behavior is strengthened or weakened by the consequences that follow it, so that voluntary responses become more or less likely depending on what happens next.

A learning process in which a neutral stimulus comes to elicit a reflexive response after being paired repeatedly with a stimulus that already produces that response.

The framework describing behavior as occasioned by an antecedent stimulus, emitted as a response, and followed by a consequence, showing the functional relation among these three events.

A consequence delivered contingent on a response that increases or maintains the future frequency of that response under similar conditions.

Adding a stimulus after a response that increases the likelihood the response will occur again, such as delivering praise or a token following a target behavior.

Removing or postponing an aversive stimulus contingent on a response, which increases the likelihood that the response recurs in similar situations.

A consequence delivered contingent on a response that decreases the future frequency of that response, either by adding a stimulus or removing one.

Adding an aversive stimulus after a behavior that reduces the future likelihood of that behavior, such as reprimanding a student for shouting out.

Removing a desirable stimulus after a behavior that reduces the future likelihood of that behavior, such as losing tokens or privileges contingent on an inappropriate response.

Discontinuing the reinforcement that previously maintained a behavior, which typically produces a gradual decline in the response and may temporarily increase variability or intensity.

A temporary increase in the frequency, intensity, or variability of a response shortly after reinforcement for that response is withdrawn, often preceding the eventual decline.

The reappearance of a previously extinguished response after a period without exposure to the extinction conditions, often at a weaker level than before.

An antecedent stimulus in the presence of which a response has been reinforced, thereby increasing the likelihood of that response when the stimulus is present.

The extent to which a behavior occurs more often in the presence of a particular stimulus than in its absence, resulting from a history of differential reinforcement.

Responding in the presence of stimuli that resemble the training stimulus but were not directly associated with reinforcement, producing a spread of the response across similar situations.

A procedure in which reinforcement is provided for responding in the presence of one stimulus and withheld in the presence of another, sharpening stimulus control.

An environmental event that alters the momentary effectiveness of a consequence as reinforcement or punishment and changes the frequency of behavior that has produced that consequence.

A motivating operation that increases the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus and, in turn, temporarily increases the frequency of behavior that has produced it.

A motivating operation that decreases the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus and, as a result, temporarily decreases the frequency of behavior that has produced it.

Responding maintained by the removal or avoidance of an aversive stimulus, often occurring when a task demand or unpleasant situation is presented.

A rule specifying which occurrences of a response will be followed by reinforcement, such as fixed ratio, variable interval, or continuous schedules.

A schedule in which every occurrence of the target response is followed by reinforcement, typically used during initial skill acquisition.

A schedule in which only some occurrences of a response are reinforced, according to a ratio, interval, or other rule.

A punishment procedure in which a specified amount of an available reinforcer is removed contingent on a target behavior, decreasing that behavior over time.

A system in which tokens earned for target behaviors are exchanged for backup reinforcers, allowing delayed and generalized reinforcement of multiple responses.

A precise, observable, and measurable description of a target behavior that specifies what counts and does not count as an instance, enabling reliable measurement.

A measurement method that counts the number of times a behavior occurs within a specified observation period, useful for discrete responses with clear beginnings and endings.

A measure of behavior expressed as the number of responses per unit of time, allowing comparison across observation periods of different lengths.

A measurement procedure that records how long a behavior lasts, from onset to offset, appropriate for responses best described by their length rather than their count.

A time-sampling method in which an interval is scored if the behavior occurs at any point during it, typically overestimating behavior and useful for continuous responses.

A time-sampling method in which the observer records whether the behavior is occurring at the exact moment an interval ends, yielding an estimate rather than a true count.

The degree to which two or more independent observers record the same values for the same behavior during the same observation period, commonly reported as a percentage.

A visual display of behavior data over time, typically with time on the horizontal axis and the behavior measure on the vertical axis, used to evaluate change.

The condition or phase in which the target behavior is measured before an intervention is introduced, providing a comparison for evaluating treatment effects.

Judging the reliability and significance of behavior change by inspecting level, trend, and variability within and across phases on a graph.

An experimental design in which baseline and treatment conditions are alternated, demonstrating that behavior change depends on the intervention rather than on extraneous variables.

An experimental design that introduces an intervention sequentially across behaviors, settings, or participants, showing change occurs only after each introduction.

An experimental procedure in which antecedents and consequences are systematically manipulated to identify the variables maintaining a problem behavior.

A process of gathering information through indirect methods, direct observation, and sometimes experimental manipulation to identify the function of a behavior.

A written, individualized plan specifying target behaviors, intervention strategies, data collection procedures, and criteria for monitoring progress and fading supports.

A structured procedure used to identify stimuli or activities that may serve as reinforcers by observing choices, rankings, or responses to presented items.

The extent to which an intervention is implemented as designed, including the accuracy and consistency of procedures delivered across sessions and staff.

Obtaining a client's or guardian's voluntary agreement to services after disclosing the purpose, procedures, risks, benefits, and alternatives in understandable language.

The ethical obligation to protect client information from unauthorized disclosure, sharing it only with appropriate parties and within legal and professional limits.

The professional relationship in which a qualified supervisor oversees a supervisee's clinical work, provides feedback, and documents competency development and hours accrued.