Behavior and Measurement

Course overview

Defining and measuring behavior are two of the most critical skills a behavior analyst must develop. During supervision, supervisees need to learn how to identify behavior, create operational definitions, and accurately collect and measure data. Once behavior is defined, analysts must graph and analyze data systematically to inform decision-making within behavior change programs. Understanding motivation and reinforcement is also key to skill acquisition, and procedures like naturalistic instruction help leverage motivation effectively. Additionally, knowing how to apply and fade prompts-both stimulus and response-can enhance learning outcomes. In this course, participants will learn to (1) identify the characteristics of an operational definition, (2) identify the essential components of a graph, and (3) discuss how to visually analyze data within and across conditions.