Define behavior – page 04

Define behavior – page 04

Check your definition to see if it passes the Mr. Potato Head Rule:

If Mr. Potato Head can do it, it ain’t behavior.

And, if Mr. Potato Head can’t do it, then it is behavior.

Adapted from the “Dead Man Rule” (Malott and Suarez, 2003, p. 9)

Imagine holding the plastic Mr. Potato Head toy, (not the animated version in the Toy Story movies.)

If you can prop up Mr. Potato Head to do it, it is NOT a behavior. Mr. Potato Head does not move, so he cannot behave.

Example 1: looks at or focuses on classwork
You can prop up the Mr. Potato Head toy to do this, so this is NOT an acceptable behavior definition.

Example 2: moves pen/pencil on classwork worksheet to produce letters or numbers
Mr. Potato Head can NOT do it, so this is an acceptable behavior definition.
This definition also combines the student’s observable movement with an observable change in the environment (a “permanent product”).

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