Behaviors that follow a pattern of being maintained by their consequences are known to have what kind of function?

Behaviors that follow a pattern of being maintained by their consequences are said to have a functional aspect. This means that the behaviors are reinforced or punished by specific outcomes, which creates a pattern of behavior linked directly to the consequences. Understanding this concept is crucial in applied behavior analysis, as it allows practitioners to identify why a behavior is occurring and how it is being reinforced.

Functional assessment helps to identify these behaviors and their reinforcing consequences, informing intervention strategies that can modify the behavior by changing the contingent events. This concept underscores the importance of looking at the relationship between behavior and the environmental factors that maintain it. Therefore, when behaviors consistently follow a pattern based on their consequences, they are categorized as having a functional relation.