Behavioral Psychology Flashcards

Behavior Terms and Concepts

• Punishment: A consequence that reduces the future occurrence of a behavior.
• Verification: Demonstrating stability in baseline behavior without the influence of an independent variable.
• Public Event: An observable occurrence noticed by another individual.
• Stimulus Control: The relationship between a discriminative stimulus and the resultant behavior.
• Experiment: A controlled assessment comparing outcomes under different conditions.
• Prediction: An anticipated result concerning an unknown or future measurement.
• Behavior: Observable and measurable variable in psychological studies.
• Positive Reinforcement: Delivery of a preferred outcome that increases behavior frequency.
• Contingency: A dependent connection between two different events.
• Verbal Behavior: Operant behavior of a speaker influenced by listener responses.
• Ontogeny: Individual changes influenced by environmental factors throughout life.
• Natural Event: An occurrence that can be placed in time and space within the natural realm.
• Tact: A verbal expression related to an object or situation (labeling).
• Discrimination: Behavioral response variance in different contexts.
• Principles of Behavior: Basic concepts like reinforcement and punishment guiding behavior analysis.
• Methodological Behaviorism: Philosophical view focusing solely on observable behaviors.
• Dependent Variable: Measured variable to assess changes resulting from independent variables.
• Radical Behaviorism: Skinner's comprehensive approach incorporating both observable and private behaviors.
• Realism: Belief in an objective reality based on natural world principles.
• Replication: Repeating experiment conditions to verify findings and validity.
• Discriminative Stimulus (SD): Environmental changes that elicit specific behaviors.
• Private Event: An event recognizable only by the individual involved.
• Experimental Analysis of Behavior: A natural science approach to studying operant behavior.
• Negative Punishment: Removal of a preferred item that decreases behavior occurrence.
• Mand: A verbal request indicating its own reinforcer.
• Cultural Selectionism: Transmission of behavior and norms within a group led by consequences promoting survival.
• Reinforcement: Consequence that enhances future occurrences of a behavior.
• Classical Conditioning: Learning process where neutral stimuli invoke automatic responses through association.
• Independent Variable: The manipulated variable to observe its effects on dependent variables.
• Pragmatism: Emphasis on practical implications of knowledge in inquiry.
• Reinforcement Trap: Short-term reinforcement of maladaptive behaviors conflicting with long-term positive behavior influences.
• Applied Behavior Analysis: Science aiming to enhance socially significant behaviors using empirical interventions.
• Determinism: The belief that events occur systematically in relation to other events.
• Explanatory Fiction: Implied internal causes for observable behavior, often misleading interpretations.
• Mentalism: Conceptualizing behavior through an assumed inner dimension or mental state.
• Operant Conditioning: Learning via environmental interactions, shaped by reinforcement.
• Positive Punishment: Introduction of aversive stimuli that diminishes the behavior.
• Negative Reinforcement: Removal of unpleasant stimuli resulting in increased behavior frequency.
• Empiricism: Constructing knowledge based on experiential evidence.
• Behaviorism: Philosophical framework underlying behavior analysis.
• Parsimony: Scientific preference for simple explanations reliant on established knowledge.
• Situational Ethics: Conduct adapting to specific situations rather than applying universal moral standards.
• Phylogeny: The evolutionary development influenced by historical environmental contingencies.
• Selectionism: Evolution driven by functional adaptations across all life forms.
• Rule-Governed Behavior: Behavior modulated by rules that influence actions based on potential delayed consequences.

7 Dimensions of ABA

• Applied: Focus on socially significant behavior changes.
• Behavioral: Study observable and measurable variables.
• Analytic: Use single-subject designs to demonstrate functional relationships.
• Technological: Thorough and accurate detailing of intervention procedures.
• Conceptual Systems: Ground interventions in behavior principles with empirical support.
• Effective: Ensure that behavior changes yield social significance and are data-driven.
• Generality: Ensures behavior changes persist over time and contexts beyond training environments.