EP 271: 4 Functions of Behavior, FBAs, and a Nervous System Approach
EP 271: 4 Functions of Behavior, FBAs, and a Nervous System Approach  
Podcast: The Baffling Behavior Show {Parenting after Trauma}
Published On: Tue Jun 23 2026
Description: For years, "the four functions of behavior" has been the go-to framework for understanding why kids do what they do: attention, escape, access to tangibles, sensory. It's not wrong, but it's not the whole story either. In this episode, we dig into where this model actually came from, what it leaves out, and what's underneath it once we go looking with a relational neuroscience lens.In this episode, you'll learn: Where the four functions of behavior actually came from, and why this is relevantWhy naming a behavior's "function" and saying it started in the nervous system aren't competing ideas — they're just two different layers of the same truth What's actually underneath attention-seeking, escape, tangible-seeking, and sensory behavior - and how to start identifying the missing skill that can be scaffoldedResources Mentioned on the PodcastAll Behavior Makes Sense ep. 198When it’s not Working ep 261The Club (membership community + troubleshooting worksheet)Read the full transcript at: RobynGobbel.com/behaviorfunctionThe Guided Journal will ship to your mailbox on September 21 2026 if you pre-order NOW!You can pre-order anywhere you buy books online. If you'd like a personalized signed copy, pre-order from my local independant book store!Lots of pre-order options, including my local bookstore, and a way to pre-order in bulk (5 or more) and receive a BIG discount at RobynGobbel.com/GuidedJournal If you pre-order TWO or more copies of the new Guided Journal for Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors, you'll get a FREE ticket for Baffling Behaviors LIVE in Richmond, VA!  A four-hour training for parents and caregivers- plus you'll get lunch, snacks, coffee, and some great take-home materials.You can also SPONSOR this event! Help my team and I really nurture and care for burned out parents.RobynGobbel.com We are waiting to read your application for the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals! RobynGobbel.com/immersion for every detail about the program you could be curious about!  Grab a copy of USA Today Best Selling book Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors robyngobbel.com/bookJoin us in The Club for more support! robyngobbel.com/TheClubSign up on the waiting list for the 2027 Cohorts of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals robyngobbel.com/ImmersionFollow Me On:FacebookInstagramOver on my website you can find:Webinar and eBook on Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior (FREE)eBook on The Brilliance of Attachment (FREE)LOTS & LOTS of FREE ResourcesOngoing support, connection, and co-regulation for struggling parents: The ClubYear-Long Immersive & Holistic Training Program for Parenting Professionals: The Baffling Behavior Training Institute’s (BBTI) Professional Immersion Program (formerly Being With)