Sensory-Maintained Behaviors

Sensory/Automatic Behaviors

Another one of the four functions of behavior is sensory behaviors, otherwise known as automatic behaviors.

These are behaviors that one may engage in to feel good, and the behavior itself automatically reinforces itself by being pleasant to do, hence the name. These behaviors may occur even when there's no one around to witness them.

Examples of sensory maintained behaviors include hand flapping, pacing back and forth, and biting one's nails.