ABA Exam CoachLessons · B. Concepts and Principles
B.13 · Spotting stimulus discrimination
Why does your phone get answered for Mom's ringtone but ignored for an unknown number? That's stimulus discrimination at work. Let's learn to spot it fast.
Key takeaway
Stimulus discrimination means responding differs depending on which stimulus is present. It usually comes from differential reinforcement: the response is reinforced when the SD is present and goes unreinforced (extinction) when the S-delta is present. To identify it, look for two or more antecedent conditions, a reliable difference in responding between them, and a history of different consequences in each. If responding stays the same across similar stimuli, that's generalization instead.
Stimulus discrimination means responding differs depending on which stimulus is present. It usually comes from differential reinforcement: the response is reinforced when the SD is present and goes unreinforced (extinction) when the S-delta is present. To identify it, look for two or more antecedent conditions, a reliable difference in responding between them, and a history of different consequences in each. If responding stays the same across similar stimuli, that's generalization instead.
Members get the full lesson video, notes and a 5-question test
The video walks through the idea, worked examples, the trap people fall into and an exam-style question. The notes and the checkpoint come with it, and your results feed your Where to focus plan.