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

Stimulus salience

The process of making learning stimuli more prominent to establish stimulus control and skill acquisition.

5th Edition Task List

B-10  Define and provide examples of stimulus control.

6th Edition TCO

B.12 Identify examples of stimulus control.

Related Content

  • ABA terms you need to know: stimulus control.Stimulus control
    When a learned behavior occurs in the presence of the SD and doesn’t occur in the absence of the SD or in the presence of other stimuli (SΔ).
  • ABA terms you need to know: stimulus deltaStimulus delta (SΔ)
    A stimulus in the presence of which a given behavior has not produced reinforcement in the past or produces less reinforcement or lesser value reinforcement than when it occurs in…
  • ABA terms you need to know: over-shadowing.Overshadowing
    When the presence of a competing or distracting stimulus interferes with the acquisition of a skill/stimulus control of another stimulus.
  • Overselective stimulus control
    When focusing on a minor feature of a stimulus interferes with stimulus control and prevents the acquisition of new skills.
  • Masking
    When a stimulus has acquired stimulus control over a specific response, but a competing stimulus is present, blocking stimulus salience, and causing a decrease in the occurrence of the learned…
  • Faulty Stimulus Control
    When a response occurs in the presence of an irrelevant stimulus as opposed to the relevant, trained stimulus.
  • ABA terms you need to know: discriminative stimulus.Discriminative stimulus (SD)
    A stimulus in the presence of which specific responses have been reinforced in the past and in the absence of which the same responses have not been reinforced in the…
  • Discriminated operant
    A learned response under the stimulus control of an SD. Due to a history of reinforcement, that response occurs in the presence of that specific SD and not in its…
  • Dana Do's: Discriminating Between Masking and Overshadowing
    PTB co-founder Dana Meller offers detailed examples to help students better discriminate between two often confusing concepts: masking vs. overshadowing.
  • Using Stimulus Salience to Increase Studying EffectivenessDana Do's: Using Stimulus Salience to Increase Studying Effectiveness
    PTB co-founder Dana Meller discusses the ways in which you can increase your studying effectiveness through stimulus salience. We know that ABA works, and Dana reminds students to utilize basic ABA principles to help themselves prepare for the BCBA® exam. Refer to Task List section B-10: Define and provide examples of stimulus control.
  • Motivating operation (MO)
    An environmental variable that alters the reinforcing or punishing effectiveness of a stimulus and alters the current frequency of all behavior that has been reinforced or punished by that stimulus.
  • How are MOs the same, but different? PTB co-founder Dana Meller explains.Dana Do's: Compare and Contrast MOs and SDs
    MOs and SDs do share some similarities, but there are some key differences to note. PTB co-founder Dana Meller breaks it all down to help you discriminate between MOs, SDs, and how they work together. Refer to 5th Edition Task List Sections B-10: Define and provide examples of stimulus control, and B-12: Define and provide examples of motivating operations.
  • Dana Do's: How to Discriminate Between MOs and SDsDana Do's: How to Discriminate Between SDs & MOs
    PTB co-founder Dana Meller breaks down the distinction between motivating operations (MOs) and discriminative stimulus (SDs). Refer to BCBA® Task List (5th ed.) Sections B-10: Define and provide examples of stimulus control; and B-12: Define and provide examples of motivating operations.
  • Let's break down a BCBA® mock exam question about stimulus controlLet's Break Down a BCBA® Mock Exam Question: Stimulus Control & Game-Changing Learning Factors
    PTB co-founder Dana Meller breaks down a BCBA® mock exam question that distills the factors that affect stimulus control in behavior analysis. Refer to BCBA® Task List (5th ed.) Section B-10: Define and provide examples of stimulus control.
  • PTB co-founder Dana Meller discusses the concept of stimulus control, explaining the function of the Sᴰ.Coffee Quandary: Stimulus Control & Absence of Reinforcement in the Pursuit of Hydration
    PTB co-founder Dana Meller discusses the concept of stimulus control, explaining the function of the Sᴰ. Refer to BCBA® Task List (5th ed.) Section B-10: Define and provide examples of stimulus control.
  • Test your ABA Terminology: MO vs. SDTest your ABA Terminology ➠ MO vs Sᵈ
    Test your understanding of antecedents and behavior change with PTB co-founder Dana Meller. Here she explains the distinction between Sᵈs and MOs, explores their evocative function, and discusses how they can alter our behavioral repertoire when combined. Through relatable examples, Dana illustrates the importance of understanding the interplay between Sᵈs and MOs in behavior change. Refer to BCBA® Task List (5th ed.) Sections B-10: Define and provide examples of stimulus control and B-12: Define and provide examples of motivating operations.
  • Mastering the ABCs of BehaviorPTB's Special ABA Sauce: Mastering the ABCs of Behavior
    Test your understanding of the ABCs of Behavior with PTB co-founder Dana Meller as she analyzes a tasty scenario to identify the MO, SD, prompt, behavior, and consequence using PTB's special ABC breakdown method. Discover how ordering extra sauce serves as a perfect example to unravel the intricate relationship between MOs, deprivation, SDs, and reinforcement. Refer to BCBA® Task List (5th ed.) Sections B-1: Define and provide examples of behavior, response, and response class, B-10: Define and provide examples of stimulus control, B-12: Define and provide examples of motivating operations and G-4: Use stimulus and response prompts and fading (e.g., errorless, most-to-least, least-to-most, prompt delay, stimulus fading).
  • Shopping Cart

    DAYS LEFT TO PASS

    Exam Changes to 6th Ed TCO on Jan. 1, 2025

    Days : Hours : Minutes : Seconds

    PASS IN 2024
    Scroll to Top