What are the criteria called that determine when a skill has been considered "mastered"?

Mastery criteria are specifically designed guidelines or thresholds that help define when an individual has sufficiently learned a particular skill. These criteria often include specific parameters such as the percentage of correct responses or the consistency of performance over a given number of trials or sessions. By establishing clear mastery criteria, practitioners can objectively assess the learner's competence and readiness to move on to more advanced skills or generalize the skill across different contexts.

This structured approach to determining skill mastery is critical in applied behavior analysis, as it ensures that educational strategies are effective and that learners are progressing appropriately. Understanding mastery criteria also aids in identifying when additional practice or intervention may be necessary, thus optimizing the learning process.