B-13: Identify examples of stimulus discrimination ©
Want this as a downloadable PDF? Click here!
Want a self-paced video course that covers all the test content and more? Click here!
Target Terms: Discrimination
Discrimination
Definition: Occurs when a limited number of stimuli occasion a response. Discrimination skills are what we’re demonstrating when we put our food in the oven and not in the dishwasher.
Example in everyday context: A child says “daddy” when they see their father but does not say “daddy” when they see other men.
Example in clinical context: A behavior specialist is teaching their client to put away their laundry. The client sorts clothing by type (e.g., shorts, shirts, socks, etc.). The client sorts their clothing correctly without making any mistakes according to the clothing type. The client demonstrated discrimination based on clothing type.
Example in supervision/consultation context: A BCBA candidate is learning to discriminate between the two types of operant conditioning. After many hours studying, the student learns the difference between the two types of operant conditioning behaviors and can demonstrate this by sorting multiple examples into the correct categories.
Why it matters: Discrimination is an important aspect of learning that enables the learner to contact reinforcement. Some forms of discrimination (blue versus green) are fairly easy for most people to master, while other examples of discrimination skills (such as labeling all the countries on a blank word map, or telling the difference between the truth and a lie) can be more challenging.