Behaviour analysts love their acronyms and it seems we have a language all to ourselves. I’m trying very hard not to speak exclusively in ‘behaviourist’ terms. It’s probably one of the reasons our field is often misunderstood. What I am trying to do (and the whole point of this blog) is to pair well-used vocabulary with behaviourist language. I also think it’s my duty as a behaviour analyst to inform my readers of these terms and make them more accessible for all.
Here you can find a reference point for common terms I refer to throughout this blog:
ABA = Applied Behaviour Analysis; the science behind using behaviour principles (learning, motivation, etc.) to solve socially significant problems.
A-B-C chain = Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequence; the three dimensions looked at when analyzing behaviour.
Three-term contingency - another term similar to A-B-C chain. It is the technical term to describe the before, during and after events surrounding behaviour
SD, S(d) = discriminative stimulus; the immediate antecedent or stimulus that elicits behaviour
MO = motivating operations; a fourth dimension of behaviour that attempts to explain people’s motivation to seek out or avoid consequences in a given time. The have a reinforcer value effect which in turn leads to a behaviour frequency effect.
Four-term contingency = the three-term contingency plus an antecedent event, the MO (see above)
JABA = Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis (it’s free - check it out http://seab.envmed.rochester.edu/jaba/)