A Single StimulusStimulus is defined as any change in the environment or... Preference Assessment, is a method used in AppliedApplied means that the behaviors targeted for change in... BehaviorBehavior refers to any activity or action that living o... Analysis (ABA) to determine which items or activities are preferred by an individual. In this assessment, one item is presented to the individual at a time, and their reaction to or interaction with the item is recorded. The process is repeated with multiple items to identify which items the individual engages with the most, indicating potential reinforcers.
Example
A behavior analyst wants to identify which toys are most reinforcing for a child named Tim. The analyst presents Tim with a toy car, and Tim plays with it for 3 minutes. Next, Tim is presented with a stuffed animal, but he shows no interest in it. The analyst continues presenting one item at a time, including a ball, a puzzle, and a book. Tim shows the most engagement with the toy car and ball. Based on this assessment, the behavior analyst determines that the toy car and ball are preferred items and can be used as reinforcers during behavior interventions.