In this context, how is an "error" defined?

• A. A wrong or incorrect response to a cue or instruction.
• B. A minor miscommunication that can be ignored.
• C. A completed correct response.
• D. An equipment malfunction.

Answer: (A)

An error is a wrong or incorrect response to a cue or instruction. In practice, when a discriminative stimulus is presented and the learner’s action does not match the expected correct response, that counts as an error. This concept is used to track learning progress and guide error-correction procedures—prompting, modeling, or providing additional practice until the correct response is produced. It’s important to distinguish this from a correct response, a lack of response, or issues unrelated to the learner’s behavior (like equipment problems). For example, if told to “touch red” and the learner touches blue, that’s an error because the response does not meet the cue’s demand.