CHARLES HUGHES: In these next segments, I'm going to begin to define basic terminology related to applied behavior analysis, as well as describe some basic principles of behavior. This lesson, as well as the next lesson, will cover information contained in content area three of the BCBA behavior analyst task list, that you can find on the first page of the text used for the course.

Now in the first segments, I stressed that ABA is a science, a science of behavior. And as such, it is focused on the search for relationships between behavior and its causes. By systematically and rigorously studying behavior, we hope to clarify the rules or principles of behavior, and to use this knowledge to solve problems, that is, change behavior. Now I stress that applied behavior analysis is based on scientific principles, just as in other natural sciences. As such, principles like reinforcement are not something that is made up or developed, these principles exist naturally, just as the principle of gravity exists naturally.

So hopefully, as you're beginning to see, ABA is concerned primarily with identifying environmental variables and how they impact behavior. Like all natural sciences, ABA has its own specialized vocabulary and basic underlying principles. These terms and principles, which I begin to define in this segment, are used throughout the ABA course series, and will form the basis for the various applied methodologies presented in subsequent courses. That is, understanding the basic principles and vocabulary, will help you understand what you are doing and why you are doing it, when you use behavioral procedures.

Now on a final note here, before we get started, much of this presentation follows a very structured organization. I will present a slide on the screen, containing the definition of a term or principle. Several keywords in the definition will be missing, in the same way they are on your PowerPoint handout that you printed out. I'll read the definition, while you read along and fill in the missing word. I will then read the definition a second time, and put up a slide that contains the missing words in bold print, just in case you missed something. After I've gone through this procedure of reading the definition twice, I will provide some elaboration and examples whenever necessary.

Now, for your information, this method of presentation is called guided notes, which has been shown to be effective for presenting factual content, such as what I'm presenting in this session. So this presentation won't be the most exciting one you've ever watched, and I really don't recommend viewing it in a horizontal position, but hopefully it will be-- help you understand and use the basic principles of applied behavior analysis.

So let's start with a definition of what a basic principle is. It is a basic functional relationship between behavior and its controlling variables. So a basic principle is a basic functional relationship between behavior and its controlling variables. This relationship must be demonstrated by way of controlled experimentation that is replicated across many species, behaviors, and conditions. So this relationship must be demonstrated by way of control experimentation, replicated across many species, behaviors, and conditions. So an example of that would be positive reinforcement.

Now replication is key to establishing a principle or a functional relationship, and this involves repeated experimentation. These experimental replications are not narrow, but rather are conducted in a variety of situations, across many species of animals, including humans, and across a variety of behaviors.

Now, an example of a behavioral principle is positive reinforcement, which we'll talk about in greater detail later. The principle that behaviors tend to be strengthened when followed by a pleasant consequence, has been established through thousands of experiments beginning with pigeons and rats, and on up through human beings. And based on these control experiments, we know that the principle holds true in many environments and with many behaviors.

So let's talk a little bit more about what a functional relationship is. So when changes in an antecedent or consequent stimulus class consistently alter a dimension of a response class, a functional relationship is said to exist. So when changes in an antecedent or consequent stimulus class consistently alter a dimension of a response class, a functional relationship is said to exist. We seek to identify functional relationships between manipulated environmental events and behavior, through systematic manipulations.

So we seek to identify functional relationships between manipulated environmental events and behaviors, through systematic manipulations. So bottom line, a functional relationship occurs when an environmental event, whether it comes before or after a behavior, reliably changes an aspect of that behavior. So that is when something occurs, something else changes, and it does so consistently.

To establish or identify functional relationships, we have to manipulate different variables in a controlled fashion, to see if the behavior changes. To illustrate this type of manipulation or experimentation, let's take a look at a graph. This type of experiment, sometimes called a reversal or return to baseline design, and you're going to learn more about this and other designs later in the course. Looking at this graph, we see that a behavior is measured during baseline condition.

As you can see on this graph, the behavior, whatever it is, and it doesn't matter, is emitted initially at a low rate with little variability. Now when we begin to positively reinforce the behavior, as noted by the r plus above the second condition, we see the behavior begins to occur more often. But we can't yet say with confidence, that the positive reinforcement was what caused the upswing in behavior. That is, a functional relationship exists between the behavior and the use of a positive reinforcer. So we take away the reinforcer, and we go back to the baseline.

Now, we see that without this particular reinforcer, the behavior goes back to where it was. Then a little bit later we reintroduce the reinforcement condition, and the behavior goes back up. It is this type of experimental manipulation that is needed to establish a functional relationship between an environmental event, in this case the introduction of a reinforcer after the occurrence of a behavior, and a behavior. The types of, like I said, the types of research designs used in ABA, will be covered in more detail in this course.

So now let's examine the concept of behavior more closely. First by looking at the determinants of behavior, defining what behavior is and isn't, and then looking at aspects of response, which is a single instance of behavior. So behavior is determined by either organic or environmental variables.

Behavior is determined by either organic or environmental variables. Organic variables include genetics, physical attributes, and or biochemical and neurological factors. So organic variables include genetics, physical attributes, and or biochemical and neurological factors.

So organic variables can also influence behavior, and these include things that are genetically hardwired, such as instincts, which are certainly critical to the survival of a species. Physical attributes, such as loss of an arm, or how tall you are, blindness, a brain tumor, and so on. Biochemical factors are also organic variables that can influence or determine behavior, such as a lack of serotonin production.

So environmental determinants include current environmental events, and the organism's previous experiences with these of similar environmental conditions. So environmental determinants include current environmental events, and the organism's previous experiences with these of similar environmental conditions. That is, the organisms history of reinforcement.

So what we're talking about here is the organism, the human, the rat, the pigeons, history of reinforcement. So we see that environmental determinants include what is going on in the present environment, as well as what occurred in the past. That is, a person's learning history, or history of reinforcement, can also play a part in determining behavior. In ABA we focus primarily on environmental variables, since we can, as educators, do something about these. I doubt as teachers that you will be doing much neurosurgery or gene splicing in your classrooms, so organic variables typically are not our purview.

So let's stop here and do another quick self-evaluation. You know how to do it, and we'll pick up in a bit.