ABA Glossary

By Dana Meller, M.A., BCBA
Edited by Tyra Sellers, J.D., Ph.D., BCBA-D
ABA Glossary by Dana Meller, M.A., BCBA, edited by Tyra Sellers, J.D., Ph.D., BCBA-D

Adjunctive behaviors

Behaviors that that occur in between the provision of reinforcement when reinforcement isn’t available and are maintained independent of reinforcement contingencies, but exist due to the contingencies being available for other behaviors.

Hint: Think of adjunctive behaviors as those bad habit behaviors that we do when we’re waiting for other reinforcers, like our friend to arrive, or the zoom meeting to start. 

Examples: nail biting, smoking, twirling your hair. 

B-5  Define and provide examples of schedules of reinforcement.

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    A variation of basic intermittent schedules of reinforcement in which reinforcement is delivered for any response that differs in topography, sequence, etc., from a previously reinforced response.
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    A variation of basic intermittent schedules of reinforcement in which the criteria for reinforcement is systematically increased, independent of the client’s behavior, until responding stops (the breaking point).
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    A basic schedule of intermittent reinforcement in which a fixed number of correct responses must be emitted for reinforcement to be delivered.
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    A basic schedule of intermittent reinforcement in which a variable number of correct responses must be emitted for reinforcement to be delivered.
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