BEHP 5011 Unit 1 (FIT)
Foundations, Concepts,
and Principles of
Behavior Analysis
Behavior analysis - Answer: Studies functional relations between bx and environmental events. Term
includes the practical, technological applications of our science.
Behavior - Answer: Everything an organism does.
Behavior (Skinner's definition) - Answer: Movement of an organism or its parts in a frame of reference
provided by the organism or by various external objects or fields.
Behavior (J&P definition) - Answer: Portion of organism's interaction with its environment that involves
movement of some part of the organism.
Behavior (José's definition) - Answer: The interaction of muscles, glands or other parts of a live organism
with the environment.
Critical Attributes of Behavior - Answer: 1. Behavior is a biological phenomenon
2. Involves movement (actions)
3. Can only be done by a living organism
4. Observable
5. Measurable
6. Involves interaction w/ environment
, Critical Attribute of Bx: Behavior is a biological phenomenon - Answer: -Only biological organisms engage
in bx
-Bx has biological basis
-Bx has evolutionary basis
-Interacting w/ environment always involves biological processes (nervous system, receptors, etc.)
Critical Attribute of Bx: Behavior involves movement - Answer: -Movement of muscles, glands, and other
body parts
-Even thinking involves movements (vocal chords move when we think in words, synapses fire, etc.)
Critical Attribute of Bx: Only a living organism engages in behavior - Answer: -Organism is single
individual
-Can specify actual organism or type of organism
-AKA "behaver" or "learner"
Critical Attribute of Bx: Behavior is observable - Answer: -Minimum: behaver can detect its occurrence
-2 or more observers must agree that X occurred
-Some observations require special instruments
-if only the behaver can observe, it must pass the "What am I doing" test
Critical Attribute of Bx: Bx is Measurable - Answer: -Can be counted
-Duration can be timed
-other dimensional qualities can be measured
Critical Attributes of Bx: Interaction w/ environment - Answer: -Doesn't occur in a vacuum
-Environment affects bx
-Bx affects environment
-Reciprocal process
"What am I doing?" Test - Answer: -Must be an ACTION
Foundations, Concepts,
and Principles of
Behavior Analysis
Behavior analysis - Answer: Studies functional relations between bx and environmental events. Term
includes the practical, technological applications of our science.
Behavior - Answer: Everything an organism does.
Behavior (Skinner's definition) - Answer: Movement of an organism or its parts in a frame of reference
provided by the organism or by various external objects or fields.
Behavior (J&P definition) - Answer: Portion of organism's interaction with its environment that involves
movement of some part of the organism.
Behavior (José's definition) - Answer: The interaction of muscles, glands or other parts of a live organism
with the environment.
Critical Attributes of Behavior - Answer: 1. Behavior is a biological phenomenon
2. Involves movement (actions)
3. Can only be done by a living organism
4. Observable
5. Measurable
6. Involves interaction w/ environment
, Critical Attribute of Bx: Behavior is a biological phenomenon - Answer: -Only biological organisms engage
in bx
-Bx has biological basis
-Bx has evolutionary basis
-Interacting w/ environment always involves biological processes (nervous system, receptors, etc.)
Critical Attribute of Bx: Behavior involves movement - Answer: -Movement of muscles, glands, and other
body parts
-Even thinking involves movements (vocal chords move when we think in words, synapses fire, etc.)
Critical Attribute of Bx: Only a living organism engages in behavior - Answer: -Organism is single
individual
-Can specify actual organism or type of organism
-AKA "behaver" or "learner"
Critical Attribute of Bx: Behavior is observable - Answer: -Minimum: behaver can detect its occurrence
-2 or more observers must agree that X occurred
-Some observations require special instruments
-if only the behaver can observe, it must pass the "What am I doing" test
Critical Attribute of Bx: Bx is Measurable - Answer: -Can be counted
-Duration can be timed
-other dimensional qualities can be measured
Critical Attributes of Bx: Interaction w/ environment - Answer: -Doesn't occur in a vacuum
-Environment affects bx
-Bx affects environment
-Reciprocal process
"What am I doing?" Test - Answer: -Must be an ACTION
