Which term describes all forms of behavior that have a similar function?

Which term describes all forms of behavior that have a similar function?

• A. Generality
• B. Establishing Operation
• C. Environment
• D. Response Class

Answer: (D)

Grouping behaviors by their function defines a response class. When different actions—such as shouting, hitting, or fleeing—produce the same consequence (for example, escaping an unpleasant task), they’re considered part of one response class because they share the same function. Generalization refers to spreading a learned response across different settings or stimuli, not to grouping by function. An establishing operation changes how reinforcing a consequence is, altering the likelihood of a behavior, but it doesn’t classify behaviors by their function. The environment is the surrounding context that can influence behavior, not a functional grouping.

Grouping behaviors by their function defines a response class. When different actions—such as shouting, hitting, or fleeing—produce the same consequence (for example, escaping an unpleasant task), they’re considered part of one response class because they share the same function.

Generalization refers to spreading a learned response across different settings or stimuli, not to grouping by function. An establishing operation changes how reinforcing a consequence is, altering the likelihood of a behavior, but it doesn’t classify behaviors by their function. The environment is the surrounding context that can influence behavior, not a functional grouping.