Chapter 3 - The Repertoires of Teachers Who Are Behavior Analysts

Abstract

The three repertoires of scientists/teachers are best described using terms from the science as follows: accurate contingency-shaped behaviors of teaching, verbal behavior about the science, and verbally mediated repertories. Strategic scientists, who are applied behavior analysts of instruction, have advanced expertise in all three repertoires. Moreover, all three are anchored to the findings, methodological practices, and epistemology of the science of behavior. An introduction to these teaching repertoires is devoted to in this chapter. Contingency-shaped behaviors are those behaviors that are reinforced or punished directly by contingencies in the environment. Repertoires that are contingency-shaped are “selected out” or taught directly by the antecedents and consequences of responses directly. Learning to ride a bicycle by repeated experience of staying on the bicycle is an example of a contingency-shaped behavior. Learning to hammer a nail, slice a piece of meat, type, and drive a car by experiencing the consequences of various actions selects out or shapes more efficient repertoires over time.