Preference Assessment

A structured process to determine what items or activities an individual highly prefers.

A preference assessment systematically evaluates a learner's likes and dislikes to identify potential reinforcers. Because preferences change over time, you conduct these assessments frequently.

Methods range from simple self-report interviews to direct behavioural methods like Paired Stimulus or Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement (MSWO) assessments. Knowing what a learner actually values dictates whether your motivational systems will work.