ABA glossary
Response generalization
Definition
The occurrence of untrained responses that are functionally equivalent to a trained response, meaning they produce the same kind of outcome.
In plain words
After learning one way to do something, people often start doing it in other, untaught ways that work the same. A child taught to say "hi" may also start saying "hello" or waving; a staff member taught one way to praise may start praising in new words. Response generalization is valuable because it makes behavior flexible and natural instead of rote. The new responses were never directly reinforced during teaching, yet they serve the same purpose.
Example from a session
Noah's program teaches him to greet peers by saying "Hi, [name]." After a few weeks, the RBT notices that during the same morning arrival routine Noah also waves and says "Hey!" to peers, forms that were never taught. She writes these new forms in her session note and records them as untrained greetings, as the data sheet allows, so the BCBA can count them as response generalization.
For BCBA candidates and supervisors
Analysts promote response generalization by teaching several response forms (multiple response exemplars) and by reinforcing novel, appropriate variations rather than only one script. They also watch for unwanted response generalization, such as new problem behaviors that serve the same function as a behavior being reduced.
Often confused with stimulus generalization, response maintenance
Response generalization is a new response form under the same conditions; stimulus generalization is the same response under new conditions. Response maintenance is a different idea: the trained response keeps occurring after the intervention is withdrawn. A behavior can maintain without generalizing, and vice versa.
Exam tip
Look for a response that was never taught but does the same job as the taught one. If the stem changes the setting or materials and the response stays the same, it is stimulus generalization instead.
Can you spot response generalization in a scenario?
Practice BCBA B.14 with exam-style questions and instant feedback.