What is the most reasonable standard to apply when judging whether a client has achieved generalization of a targeted skill?

• A. The client uses the targeted skill under stimulus conditions that were not present during the training process and without reinforcement.
• B. The client maintains the correct production of the targeted skill when the reinforcement schedule is changed.
• C. The client correctly produces the targeted skill effortlessly and without hesitation.
• D. The client is able to monitor errors and correct them with only a minimal number of cues from the clinician.

Answer: (A)

Generalization happens when a skill can be used in new situations that weren't part of training and without ongoing help or reinforcement. The most reasonable standard to judge this is when the client applies the targeted skill under stimulus conditions not present during training and without reinforcement. This shows the behavior is not tied to the specific training cues and can occur independently in different contexts.

If we only look at changing reinforcement, or producing the skill effortlessly in familiar settings, or being able to monitor and correct with few clinician prompts, those scenarios don’t by themselves prove that the skill generalizes to new environments or conditions.