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Behavior Analysis

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Synonyms

Behavioral specialist

Definition

Behavior analysis is, “the experimental investigation of variables that influence the behavior of any living organism” (Mayer et al. 2012, p. 6). Often, it is used interchangeably with applied behavior analysis. While there is a relationship between the two, they are not synonymous. There are three branches of the science of behavior analysis – behaviorism, experimental analysis of behavior (EAB), and applied behavior analysis (ABA) (Cooper et al. 2007). ABA, therefore, is one branch of the science of behavior analysis. In addition to these three branches of the science, there is also a focus on practice guided by behavior analysis.

Historical Background

The question of why people behave as they do has been answered in many ways. Over the centuries, many different belief systems have evolved to explain human behavior, including religion, mythology, astrology, and cultural practices. Psychologists, whose focus is on behavior, have developed...

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References and Reading

  • Ayllon, T., & Michael, J. (1959). The psychiatric nurse as a behavioral engineer. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 2, 323–334.

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  • Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. (1968). Some current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20, 313–327.

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  • Bijou, S. W., Birnbruer, J. S., Kidder, J. D., & Tague, C. (1966). Programmed instruction as an approach to teaching of reading, writing, and arithmetic to retarded children. The Psychological Record, 16, 505–522.

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  • Birnbrauer, J. S., Wolf, M. M., Kidder, J. D., & Tague, C. E. (1965). Classroom behavior of retarded pupils with token reinforcement. Journal of Exceptional Child Psychology, 2, 219–235.

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  • Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied behavior analysis (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson.

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  • Hall, R. V., Lund, D., & Jackson, D. (1968). Effects of teacher attention on study behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1, 1–12.

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  • Mayer, G. R., Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Wallace, M. (2012). Behavior analysis for lasting change (2nd ed.). Cornwall-on-Hudson: Sloan Publishing.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Behavioral Studies, Endicott College, Beverly, MA, USA

    Mary Jane Weiss

  2. Van Loan School of Graduate and Professional Studies Endicott College, The Institute for Behavioral Studies, Beverly, MA, USA

    Thomas Zane

  3. Endicott College, Beverly, MA, USA

    Samantha Russo

Authors
  1. Mary Jane Weiss
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  2. Thomas Zane
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  3. Samantha Russo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mary Jane Weiss .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA

    Fred R. Volkmar

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Weiss, M.J., Zane, T., Russo, S. (2018). Behavior Analysis. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_1128-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_1128-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6435-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6435-8

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