Final answer:
A descriptive functional behavioral assessment observes behavior in its natural setting to identify potential functions, distinct from the more controlled experiments of functional analysis. It considers both situational and dispositional influences on behavior, where situational influences pertain to external factors and dispositional influences to internal traits, related to the concept of fundamental attribution error.
Step-by-step explanation:
A descriptive functional behavioral assessment is an approach used to identify the function of a behavior by collecting data on the circumstances surrounding the behavior. This method involves observing and describing behaviors and the context in which they occur, such as the antecedents (what happens before the behavior), the behavior itself, and the consequences (what happens after the behavior). For example, a student might be observed hitting peers during recess whenever a toy is taken from them. The descriptive assessment might reveal that the behavior typically results in the student getting the toy back, indicating that the function of the hitting could be to regain access to desired items.
In contrast, a functional analysis typically involves the manipulation of variables in a controlled environment to demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship between the antecedents or consequences and the behavior. This is more structured and experimental than a descriptive assessment.
Situational influences refer to external factors that impact behavior, such as environmental stimuli or social pressures, whereas dispositional influences are internal factors like personality traits or attitudes. An example of situational influence might be a student cheating on a test due to peer pressure, while dispositional influence could be a student who cheats because they tend to disregard rules. The fundamental attribution error is a common human error in which one overestimates dispositional influences and underestimates situational influences when evaluating others' behaviors.