Which term describes the actions that follow a behavior, potentially influencing its future occurrence?

The correct term that describes the actions following a behavior, which can influence its future occurrence, is consequences. In the field of behavior analysis, consequences are critical components of the three-term contingency, encompassing antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. Once a behavior is exhibited, what follows can either increase or decrease the likelihood of that behavior happening again in the future. For instance, if a child receives praise after completing their homework, the resulting positive feedback serves as a consequence that may encourage the child to do their homework more often in the future.

Stimuli refer to any event or object that can be perceived by the senses and might trigger a response, but they do not specifically address what happens after a behavior. Antecedents are events or conditions that occur before a behavior and play a role in prompting the behavior rather than influencing its future occurrence after the fact. Reinforcement is a specific type of consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, but it is one type of consequence among others. Therefore, the term consequences encompasses all actions that can affect future behavior, making it the most precise choice.