What Are the 4 Functions of Behavior?
Ok, so you’ve heard it a gazillion times, the four functions of behavior! But what are they actually? I’m glad you asked. Let the bitches tell you all about them, SNABA style!
Functions of Behavior: Behavior doesn’t just happen. There has to be a reason why… Scientifically we can test to see the function of a behavior, or why someone is doing it #determinism. There are four common functions of behavior-
Escape/Avoidance: you engage in the behavior to escape aversive things or avoid aversive things. They suck!
Real World Example
Ok, so you know how when that certain someone calls your phone and you immediately hit decline/end? That is avoidance behavior at its finest. Just answer the phone. It can’t be that bad right?
Clinical Example
Matthew struggles with math. Anytime his technician places math-related work in front of him, he swipes the items and materials off the table. This prolongs the time for Matthew to start his math work and sometimes completely avoids the work altogether.
Attention: you engage in the behavior to gain attention. This can be positive or negative attention. It doesn’t matter-attention is attention.
Real World Example
We all know that one person (obviously not us) that post the most inappropriate and controversial things on social media. Why do they do it? For the attention of course! The likes, the comments, the angry faces. It all functions the same.
Clinical Example
A toddler throws toys around a room. The staff member yells “no throwing”. The toddler continues to throw toys and after throwing, immediately looks at the staff member with a smirk on their face and giggles after the staff member says again, “no throwing!”.
Tangible: you engage in the behavior to gain access to cool stuff.
Real World Example
The only thing that maintains my behavior of going to work is gaining access to money. I pout at my husband when we are out so that he buys me good food. My daughter tantrums when I take her favorite toy away so that she can get it back (Pls stop crying). My best friend keeps up a conversation with a guy she doesn’t like because he buys her nice things. We all engage in behaviors for cool stuff.
Clinical Example
An eight-year-old client likes to play video games as a break from school work. When he is told to end his break, he begins to cry loudly. The therapist says “ah, it’s ok you can have another minute” and the boy immediately stops crying and starts to play video games again. This continues every time he is told that his video game break is over.
Automatic: you engage in the behavior because it feels good!
Real World Example
You are in an 8 am lecture and you start to space out. The professor has been talking about different types of rocks and you start to wonder why the heck you need this class for your English degree, to begin with. That’s when you notice that people keep looking back at you. But why the hell are they staring? Oh yeah… you keep clicking your pen. You didn’t even notice you were doing it, but oh! Look, you clicked it again. Stop doing that! But you can’t, because it feels so good to your fingers. This might be a long class…
Clinical Example
A child engages in twirling at all times of the day. It doesn’t matter if you present work, a break, or simply tell them to wait. They continue to twirl randomly throughout the day. When you ask directly why they twirl they say “I don’t know, it’s fun”.
