Preference Assessment

A preference assessment is conducted to identify potential reinforcers.  Note, we don't know that these things are actually reinforcing until we see if applying the items increases a behavior.  To determine if a potential reinforcer is actually…

Classifying Reinforcers

Unconditioned Reinforcer is also called a primary reinforcer.  These are reinforcers that do not need to be learned, such as food, water, oxygen, warmth and sex.  These are all primary drives that we have for basic survival and if they are…

Premack Principle (Grandma’s Law)

The Premack Principle is also known as "Gradmas's Law." Parents (and Grandmas) use it naturally all the time. It is the principle that offering something that happens often in a free operant situation to be contingent upon something else that…

Ivar Lovaas

Quotes by Skinner

"Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten." "A failure is not always a mistake, it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying." "The real problem is not…

Contingency-Shaped vs. Rule-Governed Behavior

In About Behaviorism, B.F. Skinner says, "Rule-following behavior is said to be the veneer of civilization, whereas behavior shaped by natural contingencies comes from the depth of the personality or mind."  Skinner continues to note, "Doing…

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was an English naturalist who developed the theory of biological evolution.  Biological evolution states that species develop and change over time through a series small variances that increase the species likelihood…
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Modeling

Modeling is learning behavior by seeing someone else do the behavior and then copying it.

Imitation

Imitation is related to modeling.

Selectionism (Phylogenic, Ontogenic, Cultural)

B. F. Skinner said that there are 3 ways that the environment can apply itself upon a living being:  Phylogenic, Ontogenic and Cultural. Phylogenic:  Natural evolution of a species (aka Darwinism).  By a natural process of survival characteristics,…

Lawfulness of Behavior

The application of behavioral techniques requires that the practitioner subscribe to a deterministic philosophy that behavior in and of itself is lawful. The lawful nature of behavior means that all behavior is caused by environmental, external…

Behavioral Explanations

Some behavioral explanations include biophysical, biochemical, developmental, and cognitive.