Definition
Determinism is a fundamental philosophical assumption in behavior analysis that presumes the universe operates in a lawful, orderly manner, where all phenomena, including behavior, occur as a result of identifiable causes and events. According to this view, behavior does not happen randomly; instead, it is determined by preceding environmental and contextual factors.
Example
A behavior analyst observing a child’s tantrums assumes that there are specific environmental triggers or antecedents (e.g., a difficult task or the removal of a preferred item) that cause the behavior. Rather than viewing the tantrum as random or inexplicable, the analyst applies the principle of determinism to identify the events that consistently lead to the tantrum and seeks to modify those triggers or the consequences to change the behavior.