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A descriptive taxonomy of environmental operations and its implications for behavior analysis
The Behavior Analyst
|April 6, 2012
Summary
This study classifies environmental operations into evocative and function-altering types, expanding on Michael's (1993a) taxonomy. This framework aids behavior analysts in understanding similarities and differences in environmental events and their functions.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Background:
- Environmental operations influence behavior through evocative or function-altering effects.
- Existing taxonomies provide a foundation for classifying these operations.
- Understanding these classifications is crucial for behavior analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To expand the functional taxonomy of environmental events.
- To provide a clearer classification scheme for behavior analysts.
- To facilitate the analysis of similarities and differences between environmental events.
Main Methods:
- Classification of environmental operations based on their effects (evocative vs. function-altering).
- Expansion of Michael's (1993a) functional taxonomy.
- Discussion of implications for key concepts in behavior analysis.
Main Results:
- Environmental operations are categorized as either evocative (momentary behavior frequency) or function-altering (modifying functions of other events).
- The proposed taxonomy clarifies the roles of stimuli and operations in behavior change.
- The classification system enhances understanding of motivational variables and discriminative stimuli.
Conclusions:
- The expanded taxonomy offers a more precise framework for behavior analysts.
- This classification aids in distinguishing between operant and respondent conditioning.
- The scheme improves the conceptual clarity of environmental events in behavior analysis.
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