The Core Principles Of Applied Behavior Analysis Theory

The core principles of Applied Behavior Analysis were seen in several of this weeks required readings, appearing in all or multiple sources. Their definitions varied in each reading, all providing more clarification upon the previous. The first term, applied, refers to the "commitment to affecting improvements" in the field. (Cooper 16) Baer, Wolf and Risley said that whether or not something is applied is determined "by the interest which society shows in the problems being studied." (Baer 92) Both sets of authors emphasize that importance of the practitioner taking ownership in dictating how important it is to change the designated behavior. Also, the importance the behavior holds in society, because many of them represent the clients

Baer states that Applied Behavior Analysis is technological when all components of the experiment are described "sufficient detail and clarity 'such that a reader has a fair chance of replicating the application with the same results '” (Baer et al., 1987, p. 320). (Cooper 17) It should also be noted that in order to be technological the study must be easily replicated. In order to achieve this level of simplicity, one must make sure that every component of the experiment is described in to its most simple form. Baer gave the example of documenting the components of play therapy. Play therapy alone was not enough to make the experiment technological; the practitioner also had to describe his and the client 's response, as well as what toys were used and "(stimuli, contingency, and schedule)." (Baer 95) Documented technological experiments allow educational applications of ABA to be more easily carried out because the studies would be so well documented and easily replicated to provide a good learning experience. In clinical applications, technological experiments allow for references to use on ones own client who many be seeking to modify similar

As Applied Behavior Analyst, we seek to modify a behavior social significant behavior. Our effectiveness can only be measured how much the behavior we set out to modify is changed to a degree in which it makes a difference in the social situations the behavior occurs in. Baer said that this was not a scientific measurement, but a practical one: "its power in altering behavior enough to be socially important, is the essential criterion” (Cooper 17-18). The effectiveness of the research of an ABA effect both the clinical and educational applications of ABA because these cases are the bases of how ABA grows and changes. They are the way we learn and master our field. Even if modifications are later made to older experiments, without them we would not know where to