The basic unit of analysis is the combination of discriminative stimulus, behavior, and consequence; this is called what?

The basic unit of analysis is the combination of discriminative stimulus, behavior, and consequence; this is called what?

• A. Three-Term Contingency
• B. Dependent Variable
• C. Respondent Conditioning
• D. Baseline

Answer: (A)

In operant analysis, behavior is understood as shaped by what happens before and after it. The discriminative stimulus sets the occasion for a response by signaling that a particular consequence is available. The behavior is emitted, and the ensuing consequence then changes how likely that behavior is to occur again. This complete pattern is called the three-term contingency, sometimes referred to as the ABC contingency. It’s the fundamental unit of operant analysis because it explicitly ties together antecedents, the behavior, and the consequences that control future behavior. The other terms describe different ideas: a dependent variable is just a measurement, baseline is the initial level of behavior before intervention, and respondent conditioning refers to classical conditioning with automatic responses.

In operant analysis, behavior is understood as shaped by what happens before and after it. The discriminative stimulus sets the occasion for a response by signaling that a particular consequence is available. The behavior is emitted, and the ensuing consequence then changes how likely that behavior is to occur again. This complete pattern is called the three-term contingency, sometimes referred to as the ABC contingency. It’s the fundamental unit of operant analysis because it explicitly ties together antecedents, the behavior, and the consequences that control future behavior. The other terms describe different ideas: a dependent variable is just a measurement, baseline is the initial level of behavior before intervention, and respondent conditioning refers to classical conditioning with automatic responses.