Why do we engage in behavior?
What would it mean to sit and do nothing? Is this even possible? Even when we talk of “doing nothing” we are typically still doing something, such as watching TV, engaging with online material, or even just laying still but thinking about the day (thinking is a private event, but still behavior).
Behaviors have purpose, all of them. Depending on the context and the person, the same behavior can serve several different purposes. Consider all the purposes the behavior of calling a friend may serve.
- to ask for a favor
- to find out information
- to engage in a social interaction
- to put off doing housework
- to prevent the friend from feeling neglected because you having called in awhile
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Behavior Functions
In ABA, the purpose of behavior is referred to as the behavior’s function. There are two basic categories of functions.
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Obtain
Sensory stimulation
Attention
Items
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Escape / Avoid
Sensory stimulation
Attention
Demands
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Examples
Review the functions and examples in the table below.
| FUNCTION | EXAMPLE 1 | EXAMPLE 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Obtain sensory stimulation | Joey sings in the shower when he is feeling happy. | Juan bites his nails as he waits for class to start. |
| Escape/avoid sensory stimulation | Keisha shuts her phone off on Sundays to help her rest. | When it begins to rain, Jean opens an umbrella. |
| Obtain attention | James gets a haircut before the class reunion. | Kyle post a picture of his cat to his social media account. |
| Escape/avoid attention | Aaron provides an excuse for why he cannot eat lunch with his co-workers | Thomas changes the subject when Karen asks about his job |
| Obtain tangibles | Gina works overtime to buy a new car. | Jess asks the waiter for a glass of water to wash down her pasta. |
| Escape demands | Chris pretends not to hear his wife when she ask him to take out the trash. | Joyce tells her boss she is sick so she can stay home from work. |