Recommendations Regarding Use of the Term “Ignore” in Applied Behavior Analysis
Strike "ignore" from plans and say "attention withheld" to keep extinction humane and clear.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Lloveras et al. (2023) wrote a position paper about one word: ignore.
They list six reasons the word hurts clear practice and give plain replacements.
No clients were tested; the paper is a field-wide call to change our language.
What they found
The authors show "ignore" sounds cold and vague to parents and teachers.
They say swap it for "attention withheld" so the contingency is obvious and humane.
How this fits with other research
The idea is old. FARMEMOORHEARSKELLEHER et al. (1964) first warned that timeout can be misunderstood; Lloveras updates that warning for today’s BIPs.
Sajwaj (1977) argued loose guidelines twist practice; this paper gives a concrete fix—drop "ignore."
Schlinger (1990) told us to reserve "rule" for real contingency talk; Lloveras does the same for "ignore," keeping our words tied to function.
WFrazier et al. (2023) explain extinction bursts; using "attention withheld" helps caregivers see the burst is planned, not neglect.
Why it matters
If your plan says "ignore," staff may turn away completely and miss safety signs. Parents may think you don’t care. Change the label to "attention withheld," add a brief script, and everyone knows the response is on purpose, time-limited, and ethical. One word edit, fewer headaches tomorrow.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Ignore is a common term used in behavioral assessment, behavior intervention plans, textbooks, and research articles. In the present article, we recommend against the typical usage of the term in most applications of behavior analysis. First, we briefly outline some history of the use of the term in behavior analysis. Then, we describe six main concerns about ignore and the implications for its continued use. Finally, we address each of these concerns with proposed solutions, such as alternatives to the use of ignore.
Perspectives on Behavior Science, 2023 · doi:10.1007/s40614-023-00373-2