What’s the Function: Sensory

Last but not least, we're learning about automatically-maintained behavior as a function, after learning about attention, escape, and tangible functions. 

Sensory, or automatic behavior is usually pretty "easy" to see, but don't be fooled! Oftentimes a behavior that is labeled sensory is strictly sensory, but not always. It sometimes can start out as an automatic behavior, but after being paired with other reinforcement, such as escape from task demands, begins to carry an additional function. For example, my sister had a habit of cracking her knuckles, which was automatically-maintained (more on what that is below). My other sister hated when she would crack them and would always yell and whine and beg her to stop. This resulted in my knuckle-cracking sister to engage in this behavior more frequently when the contingencies were such that she would be reinforced by the absence of my other sisters (meaning, when my other sister was being annoying, my knuckle-cracking sister would engage in the behavior, my other sister would get upset and leave, and my knuckle-cracking sister would escape the annoying behavior by engaging in a previously strict sensory behavior). Phew.

What Is Automatically-Maintained Behavior?

Sensory as a function of behavior means it gives some type of natural or automatically-occurring reinforcement to the learner. Sensory, or automatically-maintained behaviors can be some of the most challenging behaviors to manage, as its hard to compete with something internally reinforcing.

How Do I Know If a Behavior is Automatically-Maintained?

A quick way to determine if it's a sensory, or automatically-maintained behavior is to note if the learner would engage in the behavior if they were left alone. That is, if no one was attending to them, or giving them demands, or even in the same room, would the behavior still occur? If the answer is yes, the behavior is likely automatically-maintained. Some common examples of these types of behavior include rocking, humming, flapping, cracking knuckles, etc. I, for example, twirl my hair. I do it in groups of people, but I also do it alone. I engage in it more frequently in certain contexts, such as high-stress situation, or when I'm feeling particularly anxious or uncomfortable. It also happens more often when I'm bored. But if I weren't in those circumstances, I still engage in this behavior somewhat variably. I would hypothesize that this behavior is sensory in nature, or automatically-maintained. I don't do it to get something from other people (tangible), or to get people to talk to me (attention), or to get out of doing something unpreferred (escape). I just do it. This is what a sensory or automatic behavior looks like. 

Ok. "Sensory". Got it.

Be careful with classifying things as sensory vs. behavior. Just because something is "sensory" doesn't mean it gets a pass. Sometimes these behaviors are highly disruptive to the learner's progress and/or environment. My hair-twirling doesn't interfere with my functioning, but if I did it all day, every day, or the frequency and duration were so high during high-demand situations, it would greatly impact my ability to function. Sensory behaviors are still behaviors and they can be changed if it's impactful. 

ABA at Play: functions of behavior, automatically-maintained behavior, reinforcement, behavioral contingencies, direct observation, multiply-maintained behaviors

What are some examples you see in your life that may be automatically-maintained behaviors? How do you know?