Lesson 1: The Four Functions of Behavior
Objective
Learners will recall and explain the four functions of behavior.
Introduction
Once you have defined both the target and replacement behaviors, it is time to move into the function of the behavior! There are four fundamental reasons why challenging behavior occurs. Once you determine why the behavior is occurring, then you can teach the individual a replacement behavior that can serve the same function.
Investigation
Watch: 4 Reasons Why People With Autism Have Problems With Their Behavior | Into the Spectrum
The Four Functions of Behavior
- Access: The individual behaves in order to get a preferred item or participate in an enjoyable activity.
- Attention: The individual behaves to get focused attention from parents, teachers, siblings, peers, or other people that are around them. The individual can be seeking positive or negative attention.
- Avoidance: The individual behaves in order to get out of doing something he/she does not want to do.
- Automatic (Sensory): The individual behaves in a specific way because it feels good to them.
Note about Automatic: Behaviors that serve an automatic or sensory function are among the hardest to change. That is because the behavior itself is reinforcing. For example, Billy engages in hand flapping almost all day because the act of flapping his hands feels good to him. It is extremely challenging to replace behaviors that serve an automatic function.
Learning Task
Read the example below and respond to the prompt.
John’s teacher and parents are concerned that he does not do his work. He puts his work away as soon as there is a window of opportunity (e.g., the teacher goes to attend another student). He will not complete his work unless Mr. Donovan or Ms. Keynes is sitting right next to him prompting him to continue. John’s parents are worried that John will fall behind academically if he does not do his work.
What is a possible function of John's behavior? Explain your reasoning.
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