A behavioral technique where complex behaviors are taught by linking together a sequence of simpler behaviors in a specific order. Each behavior in the chain serves as both a reinforcer for the previous behavior and a cue for the next behavior.
From Old French 'chaine' meaning a series of connected links, first applied to psychology in the 1950s by behaviorists who saw complex behaviors as chains of stimulus-response connections. The metaphor perfectly captured how individual responses link together to form elaborate behavioral sequences.
Your morning routine is actually a perfectly choreographed behavioral chain - brushing teeth cues face washing, which cues getting dressed, and so on. Break one link (like running out of toothpaste) and the whole chain can fall apart, which is why disrupted routines feel so jarring!
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