What does applied behavior analysis really mean?
• To better understand what the term applied behavior analysis means, we can break it down into it’s components: • Applied: means that the behaviors that are improved must be socially significant — behaviors that enhance and improve people’s lives • Behavioral: means that the behavior chosen must be one that requires improvement; it must be measurable; and it must be observable • Analytical: means that the experimenter must demonstrate a functional relation between the intervention and the change in the behavior (therefore, there must be proof that the intervention is what caused the change in the behavior) Verbal Behavior: • Verbal behavior is a format or protocol for teaching ABA — • Verbal behavior is based on the book written by B.F. Skinner in 1957 called, “Verbal Behavior” • In his book, Skinner defined verbal behavior as behavior that is reinforced through the mediation of another person’s behavior. • Skinner viewed language as a learned behavior and that is acquired, extended
