Applied behavior analysis

==Definition==

==Definition==

ABA is an applied science focused on developing procedures that will produce meaningful changes in behavior.<ref name="Baer_1968" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Cooper |first1=JO |last2=Heron |first2=TE |last3=Heward |first3=WL |title=Applied Behavior Analysis |year=2019 |publisher=Pearson Education (US) |isbn=978-0134752556 |page=19 |edition=3rd }}</ref> Behaviorists define behavior as any movement of some part of an organism that changes some aspect of the environment.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Johnston JM, Pennypacker HS |year=1993a |title=Strategies and tactics of behavioral research |location=Hillsdale, NJ |publisher=Erlbaum Associates |page=23 |isbn=978-0-8058-0905-3}}</ref>

ABA is an applied science focused on developing procedures that will produce meaningful changes in behavior.<ref name="Baer_1968" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Cooper |first1=JO |last2=Heron |first2=TE |last3=Heward |first3=WL |title=Applied Behavior Analysis |year=2019 |publisher=Pearson Education (US) |isbn=978-0134752556 |page=19 |edition=3rd }}</ref> Behaviorists define behavior as any movement of some part of an organism that changes some aspect of the environment.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Johnston JM, Pennypacker HS |year=1993a |title=Strategies and tactics of behavioral research |location=Hillsdale, NJ |publisher=Erlbaum Associates |page=23 |isbn=978-0-8058-0905-3}}</ref>

In contrast, [[experimental analysis of behavior]] focuses on [[basic research]] in the field of behaviorism.<ref name=As-in-ABA>{{cite journal | vauthors = Dillenburger K, Keenan M | title = None of the As in ABA stand for autism: dispelling the myths | journal = Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability | volume = 34 | issue = 2 | pages = 193–195 | date = June 2009 | pmid = 19404840 | doi = 10.1080/13668250902845244 | s2cid = 1818966 }}</ref> Both branches of behavior analysis adopt the viewpoint of [[radical behaviorism]], treating thoughts, emotions, and other covert activity as behavior that is subject to the same responses as overt behavior.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Baum |first1=WM |title=What is Radical Behaviorism? A Review of Jay Moore's Conceptual Foundations of Radical Behaviorism |journal=Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior |date=2011 |volume=95 |issue=1 |pages=119–126 |doi=10.1901/jeab.2011.95-119|pmc=3014776 }}</ref> This represents a shift away from methodological [[behaviorism]], which restricts behavior-change procedures to behaviors that are overt, and was the conceptual underpinning of [[behavior modification]].

In contrast, [[experimental analysis of behavior]] focuses on [[basic research]].<ref name=As-in-ABA>{{cite journal | vauthors = Dillenburger K, Keenan M | title = None of the As in ABA stand for autism: dispelling the myths | journal = Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability | volume = 34 | issue = 2 | pages = 193–195 | date = June 2009 | pmid = 19404840 | doi = 10.1080/13668250902845244 | s2cid = 1818966 }}</ref> Both branches of behavior analysis adopt the viewpoint of [[radical behaviorism]], treating thoughts, emotions, and other covert activity as behavior that is subject to the same responses as overt behavior.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Baum |first1=WM |title=What is Radical Behaviorism? A Review of Jay Moore's Conceptual Foundations of Radical Behaviorism |journal=Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior |date=2011 |volume=95 |issue=1 |pages=119–126 |doi=10.1901/jeab.2011.95-119|pmc=3014776 }}</ref> This represents a shift away from methodological [[behaviorism]], which restricts behavior-change procedures to behaviors that are overt, and was the conceptual underpinning of [[behavior modification]].

Behavior analysts emphasize that the science of behavior must be a [[natural science]] as opposed to a [[social science]]. As such, behavior analysts focus on the observable relationship of behavior with the environment, including [[antecedent (behavioral psychology)|antecedents]] and consequences, without resort to "hypothetical constructs".<ref>{{cite journal | doi=10.1037/h0054367 | title=Are theories of learning necessary? | date=1950 | last1=Skinner | first1=B. F. | journal=Psychological Review | volume=57 | issue=4 | pages=193–216 | pmid=15440996 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = Marr M |title=The natural selection: behavior analysis as a natural science |journal=European Journal of Behavior Analysis |date=2009 |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=103–118 |url=http://www.ejoba.org/PDF/2009_2/Marr_2009.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129034739/http://www.ejoba.org/PDF/2009_2/Marr_2009.pdf |archive-date=29 November 2014 |doi=10.1080/15021149.2009.11434313 |s2cid=218768283 }}</ref>

Behavior analysts emphasize that the science of behavior must be a [[natural science]] as opposed to a [[social science]]. As such, behavior analysts focus on the observable relationship of behavior with the environment, including [[antecedent (behavioral psychology)|antecedents]] and consequences, without resort to "hypothetical constructs".<ref>{{cite journal | doi=10.1037/h0054367 | title=Are theories of learning necessary? | date=1950 | last1=Skinner | first1=B. F. | journal=Psychological Review | volume=57 | issue=4 | pages=193–216 | pmid=15440996 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = Marr M |title=The natural selection: behavior analysis as a natural science |journal=European Journal of Behavior Analysis |date=2009 |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=103–118 |url=http://www.ejoba.org/PDF/2009_2/Marr_2009.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129034739/http://www.ejoba.org/PDF/2009_2/Marr_2009.pdf |archive-date=29 November 2014 |doi=10.1080/15021149.2009.11434313 |s2cid=218768283 }}</ref>