Basic Behavior
Principles
Adapted from
Florida’s Positive Behavior Support Project’s
Overview of Basic Behavior Principles Presentation
From the University of South Florida
Basic Behavior Principles
• In order to address problem behavior
(at both the school-wide and the
classroom level) we must know why
the behavior is occurring.
What is Behavior?
• Behavior is anything we SAY or DO
• HOW WE REACT to our environment
• Behaviors are LEARNED and continue because
they serve a PURPOSE (FUNCTION)
• We engage in behaviors because we have learned
that a DESIRED OUTCOME occurs
6 Top Behavior Principles
1. Must understand the function (why) of behavior
2. Understanding comes from observation of ABCs
3. Antecedents precede and increase the likelihood of
behavior
4. Behavior tends to be repeated or discontinued because
of the consequences
a) behavior is strengthened by reinforcement
b) behavior may be weakened by withholding
reinforcement
5. Consequences should be consistent and immediate
6. Modeling can strengthen or weaken behavior
Examples of Behavior
• School-Wide Level
- At dismissal many students are pushing, shoving,
and hitting other students on their way out the
door. Students have been hurt from this
behavior.
• Individual Student Level
- Alex is verbally abusive (i.e. swearing, yelling,
threatening) to the teachers and students
Background Information
for Examples of Behavior
• School-Wide Level
- Elementary School with 700 students 2 administrators and
40 staff. Teachers are inconsistent in writing ODRs.
Administration gives everyone ISS and when students go to
ISS they are not given work and instead are able to sit and
talk to their friends.
• Individual Student Level
- Alex is a 4th grade student performing at a 3rd grade
reading level. He was retained once in 3rd grade. His
mother works at night so he does not get help with
homework and he often stays up late. He hangs out with the
“wrong” crowd. Alex hates school and thinks he is dumb.
Behavior Principle # 1
• Understanding the function of behavior is
the 1st step in changing behavior
• By understanding the function of behavior
we are able to:
- identify appropriate systems level changes
- target needed appropriate skills
- focus the reward system on appropriate
skills
- change consequences to match the function
of the behavior
Behavior Principle #1: Example
• School-Wide –Students are getting hurt during
dismissal time. WHY?
- Is there enough supervision?
- Are those supervising doing their job?
- Are there too many students?
- Are the dismissal procedures clear?
• Individual student- Alex gets 2 ODRs a week in
reading but never gets one in math. WHY?
- What questions need to be asked?
Behavior Principle #2
• Understanding the function of the behavior
occurs from repeated observations of ABCs:
- Antecedents (event/stimulus before the
behavior)
- Behavior (the observable & measurable act)
- Consequence (what occurs after the behavior
that maintains, increases, or decreases the
frequency of behaviors
Individual
School-Wide
Behavior Principle #2: Example
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequence
All of the students
are dismissed from
class at the same
time. The hallways
become very
crowded.
Students are hitting,
shoving, and pushing in
the hallways during
dismissal.
The teachers take
care of the injured
but rarely say
anything to the
students doing the
behavior.
The teacher calls on Alex begins yelling at
Alex to answer a
and threatening the
comprehension
teacher and students
question. The
students look at him
to answer.
Alex is sent to the
office.
Behavior Principle #3
• Antecedents are events that happen
before the behavior and may increase
the likelihood that the behavior will
occur
• Identifying antecedents allows us to
develop prevention strategies that
make the behavior unnecessary
Types of Antecedents
• Slow triggers make it more likely behavior will
occur at any time
- Lack of sleep, hunger, illness
- Week of FCAT, holiday vacations, end of
year, large gathering of students
• Fast triggers set off the behavior almost
immediately
- Comment by a peer or teacher, difficulty
of assignment, not getting your way
- Fire drill, not having a signal to indicate
the start of class
Antecedent
Prevention Strategies
School-Wide
All of the students are
dismissed from class at
the same time. The
hallways become very
crowded.
- Dismiss students one or two grades
at a time with 2 to 3 minutes in
between them
- Ensure that staff are supervising
and making student obey hallway rules
Individual
Behavior Principle #3: Example
The teacher calls on
Alex to answer a
comprehension question.
The students look at him
to answer.
- Go over the question with Alex
before calling on him so he knows the
correct answer
- If Alex is tired, do not call on him
that day
- Place Alex in the front of the class
Behavior Principle #4
• Behavior tends to be repeated because of the
consequence/outcome
- Remember, behavior is learned. We do things again if the
past has taught us that we might get the same result
- Ask yourself—what is the purpose of the behavior?
- Common payoffs for behavior are:
* To get attention, to get an activity or object
* To get away from attention, to get out of or delay
a task or activity, to get away from an activity
• Consequences help us to identify the appropriate
behavior we need to teach and reinforce, as well
as a more appropriate consequence for the
inappropriate behavior that does not result in a
desired outcome
Behavior Principle #4a & #4b
• Behavior is likely to occur again when it is reinforced
- When a student gets something desirable following an
appropriate behavior, that behavior is likely to occur again
- When a student gets something desirable following an
inappropriate behavior, that behavior is strengthened and
likely to occur again
• Behavior is weakened by withholding consequences
(usually social) that have maintained it
- When a student does not get something desirable following
an appropriate behavior, that behavior is less likely to occur
again
- When a student does not get something desirable following an
inappropriate behavior, the behavior is weakened and is less
likely to occur again
Individual
School-Wide
Behavior Principle #4: Example
Consequence
Appropriate
Behavior
The teachers rarely
say anything to the
students for hitting
and pushing allowing
them to get out of
the school quickly
Walking through
the hallways
during dismissal
without
touching other
students
•Students who push and/or hit other
students during dismissal receive an
ODR and must wait 2 extra minutes
to be dismissed the next day
•Each month the grade with the least
ODRs and injuries during dismissal
will earn 10 minutes of extra recess
Alex is sent to the
office allowing him
to get out of class
and spend time
with his friends in
ISS
Admitting he
does not know
and asking for
help
•Alex is sent to the back of the room
to work on the problem
•When Alex asks for help, he can
work with a peer or the teacher
•When Alex asks for help, he earns
points allowing him to earn free time
New Consequences
Behavior Principle #5
• Consequences must consistently and immediately
follow the behaviors they are meant to impact
• New Consequences School-Wide
- Each month the grade with the least ODRs and injuries during dismissal
will earn 10 minutes of extra recess
- Students who push and/or hit other students during dismissal receive
an ODR and must wait 2 extra minutes to be dismissed the next day
• New Consequences for Alex
- When Alex asks for help, he earns points allowing him to earn free time
on random Fridays (tie into your SW System)
- Alex is sent to the back of the room to work on the problem he could
not answer when he yells
Behavior Principle #6
• Behavior can be strengthened,
weakened, and maintained by modeling
- Students may be less likely to push and
hit during dismissal when they see other
grades getting extra recess as a reward
- Other students may be more likely to ask
for help when they see Alex working with
a peer or earning points
Behavior Activity
• Understanding the __________ of
behavior is the first step in changing
behavior
• What are the ABC’s of behavior:
A=_____________
B=_____________
C=_____________
Behavior Activity
• Understanding the function of
behavior is the first step in changing
behavior
• What are the ABC’s of behavior:
A=Antecedent
B=Behavior
C=Consequence
Behavior Activity
• ____________ are events that
happen before the behavior.
• ____________ are conditions that
increase the likelihood that behavior
will occur
Behavior Activity
• Antecedents are events that happen
before the behavior.
• Consequences are conditions that
increase the likelihood that behavior
will occur
Behavior Activity
• Give an example of a Fast Trigger:
• Give an example of a Slow Trigger:
Behavior Activity
• Give an example of a Fast Trigger:
A difficult assignment, having to
read aloud, redirection from the
teacher
• Give an example of a Slow Trigger:
Not getting enough sleep,
medication, family problems, illness
Behavior Activity
• All behaviors serve one of two functions:
____________ and ____________
• Consequences must be delivered
____________ and ____________ in
order to be effective
Behavior Activity
• All behaviors serve one of two functions:
Escape and Attention
• Consequences must be delivered
Consistently and Immediately in order to
be effective
Behavior Activity
• Identify some strategies for dealing with
appropriate behaviors (what can you do to increase
desired behavior?)
________________________________________
________________________________________
• Identify some strategies for dealing with
inappropriate behaviors (what can you do to decrease
undesired behaviors?)
________________________________________
________________________________________
Behavior Activity
• Identify some strategies for dealing with appropriate
behaviors (what can you do to increase desired behavior?)
Say “Great Job”, Provide a Reward (Sticker), Award a
Point, Earn Free Time, Give a STARBUCK
• Identify some strategies for dealing with inappropriate
behaviors (what can you do to decrease undesired
behaviors?)
Precorrection, Verbal Warning, Move Desk Location,
Referral, Call Home
Why School-Wide PBS?
• Helps create an overall positive school
climate
• Decreases problem behavior throughout
the school
• Increases staff and student satisfaction
• Creates a universal and consistent
discipline program
• Creates a safe environment for learning,
working, and fun