Foundations and Professional Conduct (Including Ethics)
Philosophical foundations
Behavior analysis rests on assumptions that questions love to test. Determinism holds that behavior is lawful and caused; empiricism requires objective observation rather than opinion; parsimony favors the simplest adequate explanation, not the simplest possible one; philosophic doubt means being willing to abandon an explanation when data contradict it; selectionism explains behavior through variation and selection at phyletic, ontogenetic, and cultural levels. Radical behaviorism treats private events (thoughts, feelings) as behavior subject to the same laws, not as causes exempt from analysis.
Core dimensions
Seven dimensions describe good practice: applied, behavioral, analytic, technological, conceptually systematic, effective, generality. "Analytic" means a believable demonstration of control by the independent variable, not a statistical test. "Technological" means the procedure is described precisely enough for someone else to replicate it.
Ethics
Ethics items usually present a dilemma and ask for the first or best step. Typical correct actions: work within your competence, obtain informed consent, consult your supervisor, and document. Know the difference between consent (a caregiver's legal permission) and assent (the client's agreement). Prefer least-restrictive, effective procedures; restrictive or punishment-based procedures require justification, review, and monitoring.
Worked example
A parent asks you to start a time-out procedure not in the behavior plan. The correct response is not to improvise: acknowledge the concern, explain that you follow the approved plan, and bring the request to your supervising behavior analyst, who can evaluate whether the procedure is warranted, obtain consent, and revise the plan. Acting outside your scope, even at a caregiver's request, is the classic wrong answer.
Rule of thumb: when an ethics item asks what to do first, choose the option that involves reviewing your competence and consulting before acting, and that documents.