A behaviorBehavior refers to any activity or action that living organisms engage in, which can be observed, measured, and analyzed. It encompasses all interactions an organism has with its environment, inc... More chain is a series of individual behaviors that are linked together to form a complex skill or sequence. Each behavior in the chain serves as a cue (or discriminative stimulusStimulus is defined as any change in the environment or form of energy that affects an organism’s behavior or physiological state. Stimuli can be external or internal, and they can el... More) for the next behavior and also as a reinforcerA reinforcer is any consequence or stimulus that, when presented after a behavior, increases or maintains the likelihood of that behavior occurring again in the futu... More for the previous behavior. In AppliedApplied means that the behaviors targeted for change in ABA are important and meaningful in everyday life, helping to improve the person’s quality of life or social functioning. Example A ... More Behavior Analysis (ABA), behavior chains are often broken down into smaller steps and taught using strategies like chaining, which helps individuals learn how to perform the entire sequence of behaviors independently.
Example
A common behavior chain is brushing teeth. The steps in this chain include:
- Picking up the toothbrush.
- Applying toothpaste.
- Turning on the water.
- Wetting the toothbrush.
- Brushing the top teeth.
- Brushing the bottom teeth.
- Rinsing the mouth.
- Rinsing the toothbrush.
- Putting the toothbrush back in its holder.
Forwards ChainingForwards chaining is a teaching method used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) where a multi-step task is taught by starting with the first step of the task and gradually adding subsequent steps. The ... More, Backwards ChainingBackwards chaining is a teaching method used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) where a multi-step task is taught by starting with the last step of the task first. The instructor completes all the ini... More, Total Task ChainingA behavior analyst is teaching a child named John how to wash his hands. The entire sequence includes turning on the faucet, getting soap, scrubbing hands, rinsing, and drying with a towel. Using tota... More