Behavior
In Plain Language
Something a person or other organism does.
ABA Definition
Activity of an organism in interaction with its environment; direct measurement usually focuses on observable and measurable actions.
Everyday Example
Waving, reading aloud, and opening a door are behaviors.
ABA Example
A team defines requesting help by speech, sign, or a communication device as a skill to measure.
How It May Be Used
Helps describe actions objectively instead of assigning personality labels.
Parent/Caregiver Tip
Describe what happened rather than calling someone difficult.