Description in the context of behavior analysis refers to the process of collecting and organizing factual information about observed events, particularly in relation to the behaviors of interest. Description focuses on objectively documenting what is happening without making assumptions about why the behavior occurs.
Example
A behavior analyst observes a student in a classroom and records detailed descriptions of the student’s behavior. For instance, the analyst notes the frequencyIn Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), frequency refers to the ..., durationDuration refers to the length of time that a behavior occurs..., and circumstances of the student’s off-task behavior (e.g., “The student left their seat 5 times during a 30-minute math lesson”). This factual collection of observed behavior helps the analyst later determine patterns and possible interventions based on accurate data.