Concepts and Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis

Catalog description

This course is a prerequisite to subsequent courses in the applied behavior analysis course sequence. This course teaches the basic principles of applied behavior analysis, the building blocks necessary for developing evidence-based behavioral interventions. Defining and operationalizing behavior will be reviewed and then students will take an in-depth look at the principles of reinforcement and punishment. Students will review respondent and operant conditioning and then will learn about contingencies and stimulus control, schedules of reinforcement and the various types of differential reinforcement, and motivating operations. Finally, verbal behavior will be covered including exploration of each of the verbal operants and an overview of the application of verbal behavior training toward communication goals. Throughout the course, an emphasis will be placed on understanding these principles in applied contexts.