What is demonstrated when an antecedent stimulus reliably exerts control over a response?

The concept of stimulus control is demonstrated when an antecedent stimulus consistently influences or regulates a specific response. This means that the presence of a particular stimulus increases the likelihood of a certain behavior occurring. For example, when individuals learn to respond to a traffic light, the green light becomes a reliable antecedent stimulus that evokes the behavior of driving forward.

In behavior analysis, establishing stimulus control is crucial, as it indicates the precise relationship between behavior and the environmental stimuli. It shows how certain conditions can cue specific responses and helps practitioners understand how behaviors can be effectively modified and maintained through environmental arrangements. This understanding underlines the importance of context in behavior, where certain stimuli trigger specific responses more consistently than others.

The other options refer to different concepts. Stimulus formation involves creating a new stimulus through the pairing of different elements. Response dependency suggests that a behavior's occurrence is related to other behaviors but does not specifically address the control exertion by antecedent stimuli. Behavior modification generally refers to a broader approach to changing behavior through systematic methods and interventions, rather than the specific influence of stimuli on responses.