BEHAVIORAL CUSPS: A MODEL FOR SELECTING TARGET BEHAVIORS

A cusp, as defined by Rosales-Ruiz and Baer (1997), is ‘‘a behavior change that has consequences for the organism beyond the change itself, some of which may be considered important’’ (p. 537). For example, when a child learns to walk, that child gains access to environmental stimuli and contingencies (interactions with siblings or with the family pet) that would be otherwise unavailable. These contingencies may shape other behaviors such as social play, running, and dancing. From the standpoint of application, it might be especially useful to construct guidelines for the a priori identification of potential cusps. Just as with reinforcement, cusps are identified by their effects. A priori identification of potential reinforcers can take the form of a reinforcer assessment or a stimulus preference interview, but no analogous methods exist to identify possible cusps. We have integrated some criteria for cusps proposed by Rosales-Ruiz and Baer (1997) with some of our own as a suggested starting point for the a priori identification of cusps. Articulating preliminary criteria for assessing a cusp may be an initial step to developing a system for prioritizing target behaviors based on their potential for long-term benefits for the learner. Suggesting the need for a more systematic method of prioritizing target behaviors does not imply that the target behaviors reflected in current behavior-analytic research fail to qualify as cusps. However, the process we are suggesting might allow a more systematic selection and prioritization of target behaviors in behavior-ana-