Research article on behavior analysis jargon.

Normative Emotional Responses to Behavior Analysis Jargon or How Not to Use Words to Win Friends and Influence People | 1 BCBA CEU

Thomas Critchfield, Karla Doepke, L. Kimberly Epting, Amel Becirevic, Derek Reed, Daniel Fienup, Jamie Kremsreiter, & Cheryl Ecott

(3 customer reviews)

$9.99

BCBA CEUs: 1 CEU

Read the following article and pass a 5-question quiz on it:

Critchfield, T. S., Doepke, K. J., Epting, L. K., Becirevic, A., Reed, D. D., Fienup, D. M., Kremsreiter, J. L., & Ecott, C. L. (2017). Normative emotional responses to behavior analysis jargon or how not to use words to win friends and influence people. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 10, 97-106.

Earn

9 Star Points (worth a $0.90 discount) when you purchase this product!

A yellow icon with a Build-a-Bundle and a wrench.

Build a Bundle | Choose Your BCBA CEUs

From $21.20

SKU: critchfield2017 Category: BCBA CEUs Tags: Applied Behavior Analysis, Contingent Reinforcement, Graduated Exposure, Intellectual Disability, Intervention Processes, Medical Nonadherence, Neurodivergent, Noncompliance

Description

To earn credit, you will be required to read the article and pass a 5-question quiz about it. You can retake the quiz as many times as needed, but you will not receive exactly the same questions each time.

Abstract

It has been suggested that non-experts regard the jargon of behavior analysis as abrasive, harsh, and unpleasant. If this is true, excessive reliance on jargon could interfere with the dissemination of effective services. To address this often discussed but rarely studied issue, we consulted a large, public domain list of English words that have been rated by members of the general public for the emotional reactions they evoke. Selected words that behavior analysts use as technical terms were compared to selected words that are commonly used to discuss general science, general clinical work, and behavioral assessment. There was a tendency for behavior analysis terms to register as more unpleasant than other kinds of professional terms and also as more unpleasant than English words generally. We suggest possible reasons for this finding, discuss its relevance to the challenge of deciding how to communicate with consumers who do not yet understand or value behavior analysis, and advocate for systematic research to guide the marketing of behavior analysis.

View Full Article

Additional information

Format	Article Quiz
Total CEUs	1
Reading Time	46 minutes

Publication Date	May 25, 2025
Last Updated	Dec 8, 2025

3 reviews for Normative Emotional Responses to Behavior Analysis Jargon or How Not to Use Words to Win Friends and Influence People | 1 BCBA CEU

5.0

Based on 3 reviews

100% of customers recommend the product

Customer reviews

Karen Hall
Verified
United States (US)

Aug 20, 2026

this is always important to keep in mind so we don't alienate our clients

Was this helpful?
Kevin Russo
Verified
United States (US)

Jul 19, 2026

Excellent overview of why ABA jargon can sometimes be a detriment if not combined with vernacular language

Was this helpful?
Erica Zimmerman
Verified

Feb 27, 2026

The article makes sense and is straightforward

Was this helpful?

Add a review Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a review.

Questions & Answers

You may also like…

FAQ

Your access to a module does not expire or have a time limit. Generally, modules will remain available for as long as you keep your CEUniverse account. For example, you could purchase a CEU module today, but not complete it until 5 years later. The completion date on your certificate of completion will be based on when you actually complete the module (and not your purchase date). On rare occasions we may need to remove a module if it becomes outdated or if there are licensing issues. In such cases, we will notify you of the change in advance.

You will be able to download a certificate of completion immediately upon completion of a module. You can also download a CEU transcript from the myLearning dashboard that documents all of the CEU modules you have completed on CEUniverse.

Any learning modules you purchase can be accessed from the myLearning dashboard.

No (at least not for recertification purposes). Although you are certainly welcome to repeat a CEU module you have already completed on CEUniverse, it cannot count toward recertification twice because it does not serve the goal of expanding your knowledge or skills.

Yes, we issue refunds for our modules within 30 days of the original purchase of the product. You are eligible for full reimbursement only if you have not completed the module. Please contact us for assistance if you experience any issues accessing or using our modules.

Yes! CEUniverse has been approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® to offer continuing education for BCBAs and BCaBAs since 2010 (#OP-10-2021). From 2010 to 2023 were we approved under the name of our parent company, FoxyLearning. You may also be able to use our modules for other purposes or credentialing agencies by asking them. We are happy to work with you to produce a custom certificate of completion if you need it.

Your cart (items: 0)

Products in cart
Product	Details	Total
	Available on backorder Previous price: Discounted price:	Save