Introductory Concepts
Elementary Relationships
Extensions of Verbal Behavior
Multiple Controlling Relationships
Building on the Elementary Relationships
;

1.8 Definition of Controlling Variable

This is a free preview and your progress is not being tracked. Purchase access to complete this module for CEUs.

Finally, we have controlling variable. A controlling variable is an environmental event, most commonly a discriminative stimulus, which controls or determines the likelihood that a given response will be emitted.

TermDefinition
StimulusA physical energy change capable of affecting an organism through one of its receptors: photoreceptors, phonoreceptors, chemoreceptors (gustatory and olfactory), mechanoreceptors (touch), thermoreceptors, and free nerve endings. 
Discriminative StimulusA stimulus in the presence of which a given response has a history of being reinforced.      
ReinforcementA stimulus following a response that increases or strengthens the likelihood of that response occurring in the future, under similar conditions.
PunishmentA stimulus following a response that decreases or weakens the likelihood of that response occurring in the future, under similar conditions.
Controlling VariableAn environmental event, most commonly a discriminative stimulus, which controls or determines the likelihood that a given response will be emitted.
Post a comment
This section is for the civil and public discussion of the content of this page. We reserve the right to moderate and remove comments that are irrelevant, disrespectful, hateful, harassing, threatening, or spamlike. If you are experiencing a technical issue, please contact our helpdesk for assistance.

Leave a Comment