Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Operant Procedures for Assessing Behavioral Flexibility in Rats
Published on: February 15, 2015
The effects of presession attention on problem behavior maintained by different reinforcers
Jennifer J McComas1, Andrea Thompson, LeAnne Johnson
1Special Education Program, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA. jmccomas@tc.umn.edu
Abstract:
The effect of presession attention on the later occurrence of problem behavior was examined with elementary-school children with a range of disabilities. Results of analogue functional analyses suggested an escape function, an attention function, or both. Following the analogue functional analyses, the effects of two antecedent conditions (10-min ignore vs. 10-min attention) were compared on problem behavior in subsequent test conditions. For participants who displayed attention-maintained problem behavior, the test condition involved contingent attention for problem behavior. For participants who displayed escape-maintained problem behavior, the test condition involved contingent escape for problem behavior. Results indicated that participants who displayed attention-maintained problem behavior displayed less problem behavior following presession exposure to attention than when ignored. No such effect was found for presession attention on escape-maintained problem behavior. We discuss matching antecedent-based interventions to the results of functional analysis.
Related Concept Videos
Behaviorism
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
Operant Conditioning
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...
Law of Effect
Edward Thorndike's foundational work involved studying learning in animals, particularly using puzzle boxes...
Timing and Consequences on Behavior
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant factor...
Behavior Modification
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
Operant Conditioning Intervention
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...

