Behavior 101

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. ”

— Will Durant

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Why do I need to understand behavior?

What do you need to know about behavior to be able to effectively use the strategies and ideas I will be posting in this blog? I cannot teach you enough about behavior to become a behavior analyst. However, I think you need to at least have a working understanding of what we are talking about to get the full benefit of the strategies that we share in this blog. And, you will continue to learn as we go! We, as parents, are mini-behavior analysts and are already using strategies that are supported by an evidence-based behavioral science!

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

ABA is the science of changing socially significant behavior. It is one of the most effective (arguably THE most effective) treatment for behavior change. Many people think of ABA as treatment for individuals with autism, however, it is not specific to one population. ABA therapy focuses on the process of changing the environment and an analysis of the ‘function’ of behavior to create behavioral change.

What is “Function of Behavior?”

When we talk about the ‘function’ of a behavior, we are talking about the ‘why.’ Why is the Behavior Occurring? There are Four Functions of Behavior and we will go into further detail in an upcoming post regarding these four and why it is critical that you have an understanding of function before trying to decrease unwanted behavior! A great basic visual for these concepts is on our Resource page at ABA-for-Families-Functions-of-Behavior.

Notice the reason for your child’s unwanted behavior.
What are they “getting” from your consequence that might be increasing the unwanted behavior in the future?
Are they getting out of completing a chore when you send them to their room?
Are they gaining your attention when they slam their door to their bedroom?