To be successful in this lesson, do the following:
After completing this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
The field of applied behavior science defines behavior, stimuli, responses, and the environment in very specific ways. These concepts build the foundation of our ability to objectively observe behavior and implement effective behavior change interventions. Operational definitions identify one or more specific, observable events or conditions that any other researcher can independently test or measure. This is important, as we are complex entities with many variables affecting behavior. Learn more about behavior and operational definitions in Video 1.1.
In order to objectively observe and change behavior, we must know how to define the responses of organisms in a most precise way. In Video 1.1, you learned how to develop clear operational definitions and why they are so important. Video 1.2 covers the definition of a response and how responses fit in with the relationship between antecedents and consequences.
Behavior analysts strive to understand functional relationships between behavior and the environment. Our focus on the functional aspect of behavior directly relates to response classes because an organism will often demonstrate many different behaviors that evoke the same function or consequence. This is important when teaching individuals to generalize their responses and demonstrate variability: an increase in adaptive behaviors can increase an individual’s ability to access reinforcement in the natural environment. Video 1.3 further discusses response class.
In Video 1.3, you learned that an individual can demonstrate multiple responses that share a function, which we call a response class. We now shift to a definition of stimuli, which Michael (2004) defined as "an energy shift that affects an organism through its receptor cells." Basically, anything that affects one or more of our senses can be defined as a stimulus. When stimuli share certain properties, we say they fall into a stimulus class. This subject is covered further in Video 1.4.
Michael, J. (2004). Concepts and principles of behavior analysis (Rev. ed.). Kalamazoo, MI: Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis.