Receptively IDs Familiar People in 2D Array (3 Examples)
Below is a general skill sequence for helping learners receptively identify familiar people in a 2D array across multiple examples.
This skill area hones in on the learner's ability to receptively identify family members and loved ones within a large array across various examples. It's crucial for the learner to have proficiency in elementary scanning and matching, as well as be skilled in responding to simple gesture prompts before embarking on this skill area. Achieving fluency here is fundamental, as it lays the groundwork for introducing the labeling of loved ones if it aligns with the learner's goals.
How this skill area relates to your assessments!
This skill area aligns with various assessments and their respective domains, with milestone and domain codes provided for reference. Additionally, DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Autism are included to help clinicians identify how this skill area potentially supports medical necessity in relation to the diagnosis.
VB-MAPP (Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program)
Listener Responding, LR 3-M, Looks at, touches, or points to the correct family member, pet, or other reinforcer when presented in an array of 2 for 5 different reinforcers (e.g., Where’s Elmo? Where’s Mommy?)
Listener Responding, LR 7-M, Generalizes listener discriminations (LDs) in a messy array of 8, for three different examples of 50 items (e.g., The child can find three examples of a train.
AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
Basic Communication, BC10, Labels common people (actual individuals, not professionals)
Basic Communication, BC18, Names people and activities previously observed
Health, Safety & First Aid, HS9, States difference between a "friend," "acquaintenance", and a "stranger”
Community Knowledge, CK3, Receptively identifies community helpers.
DSM-V Diagnostic Criteria for Autism
A2, Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
CDC’s Developmental Milestones
30 Months, Language/Communication, Names things in a book when you point and ask, “What is this?”
Treatment Plan Goal Ideas
This is a list of treatment plan goals. These are different from the goals you will find in the skill sequence below. Your treatment plan goals encompass any number of goals from the skill sequence. Sometime they will include multiple goals from the sequence (”Learner will label 5 toys”) and sometimes the treatment plan goal will be simply consist of a really important goal from the skill sequence (”Will label caregiver”). An analogy I like to use goes as follows: Each skill sequence goal (commonly known as a “target”) represent each stair in a flight of stairs. The treatment plan goal is the flight itself.
Treatment plan goal ideas for this particular skill area are as follows:
Learner will receptively identify 5 familiar people across three different examples when they are presented in a 2D array of 15.
Learner will receptively identify 10 familiar people across three different examples when they are presented in a 2D array of 15.
Learner will receptively identify 15 familiar people across three different examples when they are presented in a 2D array of 15.
Component Skills
Your learner may need to be fluent in these component skills first before introducing this goal/skill area. Component skills for this skill sequence may include skill areas that are fundamental to other areas. Fluency in the skill areas listed below may increase the likelihood that your learner will succeed in this skill sequence and those afterward.
Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to receptively ID familiar people. Note that every learner is different and that you likely will need to tweak and vary some programming to their needs. Click the triangle icon to view the full description for each skill in the sequence/area.
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#1 Selects Multiple Examples of Primary Caregiver/Caregiver #1 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s most primary caregiver.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you mom/dad/caregiver name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the caregiver until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the caregiver from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the caregiver in the array (there should be only one picture of a caregiver in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the caregiver’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the caregiver.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the caregiver from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#2 Selects Multiple Examples of Primary Caregiver/Caregiver #2 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s second most primary caregiver.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you mom/dad/caregiver name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the caregiver until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the caregiver from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the caregiver in the array (there should be only one picture of a caregiver in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the caregiver’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the caregiver.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the caregiver from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#3 Selects Multiple Examples of Primary Grandparent #1 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s most primary grandparent.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you grandma/grandpa/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the grandparent until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the grandparent from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the grandparent in the array (there should be only one picture of a grandparent in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the grandparent ’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the grandparent .
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the grandparent from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#4 Selects Multiple Examples of Primary Grandparent #2 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s second most primary grandparent.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you grandma/grandpa/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the grandparent until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the grandparent from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the grandparent in the array (there should be only one picture of a grandparent in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the grandparent ’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the grandparent .
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the grandparent from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#5 Selects Multiple Examples of Sibling #1 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s sibling.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you brother/sister/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the sibling until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the sibling from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the sibling in the array (there should be only one picture of a sibling in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the sibling’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the sibling.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the sibling from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#6 Selects Multiple Examples of Sibling #2 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s sibling.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you brother/sister/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the sibling until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the sibling from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the sibling in the array (there should be only one picture of a sibling in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the sibling’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the sibling.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the sibling from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#7 Selects Multiple Examples of Sibling #3 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being of a picture of the learner’s sibling.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you brother/sister/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the sibling until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the sibling from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the sibling in the array (there should be only one picture of a sibling in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the sibling’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the sibling.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the sibling from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#8 Selects Multiple Examples of Sibling #4 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s sibling.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you brother/sister/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the sibling until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the sibling from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the sibling in the array (there should be only one picture of a sibling in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the sibling’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the sibling.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the sibling from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#9 Selects Multiple Examples of Aunt (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture the learner’s aunt.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you aunt/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the aunt until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the aunt from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the aunt in the array (there should be only one picture of an aunt in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the aunt’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the aunt.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the aunt from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#10 Selects Multiple Examples of Uncle (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s uncle.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you uncle/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the uncle until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the uncle from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the uncle in the array (there should be only one picture of an uncle in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the uncle’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the uncle.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the uncle from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#11 Selects Multiple Examples of Pet #1 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s pet.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you pet/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the pet until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the pet from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the pet in the array (there should be only one picture of a pet in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the pet’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the pet.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the pet from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#12 Selects Multiple Examples of Pet #2 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s pet.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you pet/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the pet until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the pet from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the pet in the array (there should be only one picture of a pet in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the pet’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the pet.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the pet from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#13 Selects Multiple Examples of Pic of Home (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s home.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you home.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the home until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the home from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the home in the array (there should be only one picture of a home in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the home and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the home.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the home from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#14 Selects Multiple Examples of Therapist #1 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s therapist.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you therapist/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the therapist until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the therapist from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the therapist in the array (there should be only one picture of a therapist in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the therapist’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the therapist.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the therapist and have a copy of each picture
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#15 Selects Multiple Examples of Therapist #2 (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s therapist.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you therapist/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the therapist until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the therapist from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the therapist in the array (there should be only one picture of a therapist in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the therapist’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the therapist.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the therapist and have a copy of each picture
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#16 Selects Multiple Examples of Teacher (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of the learner’s teacher.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you teacher/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the teacher until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the teacher from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the v in the array (there should be only one picture of a teacher in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the teacher’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the teacher.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the teacher from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#17 Selects Multiple Examples of Physician (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of a picture of the learner’s physician.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you physician/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the physician until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the physician from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the physician in the array (there should be only one picture of a physician in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the physician’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the physician.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the physician from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
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#18 Selects Multiple Examples of Dentist (Ao15)
How to Run
Present an array of 15 pictures with one of them being a picture of a picture of the learner’s dentist.
Gain the attention and motivation of the learner.
Ask them to find the/point to the/give you dentist/name.
Learner should select the corresponding picture.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
In the beginning stages of introducing the program, use the same picture of the dentist until the learner starts to respond correctly and select the dentist from the array. Once the learner begins to respond correctly, gradually introduce having the other two pictures of the dentist in the array (there should be only one picture of a dentist in the array—it should simply be a different picture with each trial).
Ensure that therapist is not engaging in prompting that they might not be aware of.
Use a close up of the dentist’s face and one from farther away as well.
Materials
17 pictures total pictures. This should include three different pictures of the dentist.
Therapist will need to obtain multiple pictures of the dentist from family of learner and have a copy of each picture
Concurrent Skills
Working on these skills at the same time could help with goal mastery. Maybe your learner has mastered these skills already. Perhaps they are already listed as component skills above. That’s okay! Targeting other learning channels might help your learner.
These are the possible next steps for learners who have mastered, or are mastering, the skills listed above. Note that new skill areas may require fluency in other component skills not listed above. Also, you can introduce composite skill sequences prematurely to keep your learner progressing, as generativity may occur earlier than expected.
Follow the link below to better understand component-composite analysis.
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Research and Resources
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Disclaimer
Consistent with ethical obligations outlined by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB), users acknowledge that goal selection/direction is the responsibility of the BCBA. Users understand that goals should be tailored to the learner while ultimately involving the input of clients/stakeholders. Users understand their ethical obligations to the client/stakeholder concerning the selection, implementation, design, and minimization of risk regarding behavior change interventions as outlined in BACB Code. As such, this skill sequence serves as a general framework for generating ideas around this particular skill area and not as an assessment or curriculum.
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Intro to Scanning 
Intro to Matching (Visual Perception) 
Following Gestures
Matches Common Items in 2D Array 1.0 (Identical)
Matches Common Items in 2D Array 1.0 (Non-identical)
Matches Familiar People in 2D Array (Identical)
Matches Familiar People in 2D Array (Non-Identical)
Receptively IDs Common Items in 2D Array
Receptively IDs Common Items in 2D Array (Multiple Examples)
Receptively IDs Familiar People in 2D Array 
Labels Familiar People