Discovering the Root Cause of Behavior
Dr. Michael Toto, BCBA-D, LBA-CT, LABA-MA
At one time or another, you may have inquired as to why someone has done what they have done. What motivated them to act like that? What would drive someone to do such a thing? Understanding why people engage in specific behaviors has been an area of interest for decades. The physical form of the behavior can be easy to identify (e.g., visually seeing someone rob a bank) but the reason people engage in a particular behavior is often much more difficult to understand (Hanley et al., 2003). Fortunately, more and more experts in the science of behavior have investigated the function, or purpose, of behaviors that humans engage in.
The reason why people engage in specific behavior (e.g., saying hello to a stranger) can be found in positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, or automatic reinforcement (O’Neil, 1997). When we engage in behaviors for positive reinforcement, we are hoping to attain desired attention or access to a desired activity/item. When children scream in hopes of gaining access to their favorite television show, then positive reinforcement may be operating. Conversely, when we engage in a behavior for negative reinforcement we are attempting to escape (or avoid) an unpleasant situation/experience. For instance, when a child screams in response to their parent telling them that it’s time to take a nap, then most likely negative reinforcement is at play as the screaming could lead to a delay or cancellation of the nap. Finally, when we engage in a behavior for automatic reinforcement, we’re doing so to attain some type of sensory stimulation. Automatic reinforcement occurs completely independent of others and is inherent to self-stimulation (or self-satisfaction). The behavior we’ve engaged in provides the desired stimulatory feeling that we’re seeking. When a child screams, they may be doing so to attain a pleasing stimulation in their chest and throat.
When we understand why behaviors occur, we can then implement function-based interventions or function-based treatment. In other words, experts attempt to treat someone’s behavioral function over their behavioral form. So, if an expert has determined that a child is screaming for positive reinforcement (e.g., gaining access to their favorite television show) then an appropriate intervention might be teaching that child how to appropriately request the television show (so that the child does not have to resort to screaming to communicate). If it’s been determined that a child is screaming for negative reinforcement (e.g., screaming to escape nap time) then it might be appropriate to teach that child how to appropriately request more awake time (e.g., “Could I play a little longer?”) or to even request how to politely decline the nap (e.g., “I don’t feel like taking a nap right now”). If the child is screaming for automatic reinforcement, experts would most likely teach the child socially appropriate activities in which a similar feeling in their chest or throat is attained (e.g., singing songs, playing games in which using a loud voice is encouraged, etc.).
In each scenario, alternate, socially appropriate behaviors are taught to help individuals satisfy their behavioral function. The goal is to teach children appropriate skills that they can then use across various people, settings, or situations. Are functions subject to shift or change? Absolutely. Could a particular behavior occur for more than one reason? You bet. Therefore, it remains important to consult with experts so that effective teaching procedures can be recommended.
Sources:
Hanley, G. P., Iwata, B. A., & McCord, B. E. (2003). Functional analysis of problem behavior: A review. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(2), 147–185. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2003.36-147
O’Neill. (1997). Functional assessment and program development for problem behavior: A practical handbook (2nd ed.). Brooks/Cole Pub.