Consequence
BehaviorDefinition
What happens immediately after a behavior occurs. In behavioral analysis, a consequence either reinforces (increases) or punishes (decreases) the likelihood of the behavior happening again. Understanding consequences is key to understanding why a behavior persists.
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An event, situation, or condition that occurs immediately before a behavior and may trigger or set the occasion for it. In an FBA, identifying antecedents helps understand what situations lead to challenging behavior. Common antecedents include transitions, task demands, peer interactions, and sensory environments.
A consequence that increases the likelihood that a behavior will occur again in the future. Positive reinforcement adds something desirable (praise, a token, a preferred activity); negative reinforcement removes something unpleasant (taking away a demand when a student asks for a break). Reinforcement is a core strategy in BIPs and ABA.
A method of collecting behavioral data that records the Antecedent (what happened before the behavior), the Behavior (what the student did), and the Consequence (what happened after). ABC data helps identify patterns and the function of behavior as part of a Functional Behavioral Assessment.
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