Circular reasoning occurs when the cause of a phenomenon is defined by the phenomenon itself creating a statement that goes in a circle without providing any new information or a testable hypothesis In this scenario explaining the inability to read the observed effect by stating the child has a learning disability the proposed cause where the learning disability is essentially defined by the inability to read is a prime example This type of reasoning is problematic in Applied Behavior Analysis ABA because it prevents the identification of actual observable and manipulable environmental variables antecedents and consequences that could be contributing to the behavior Instead of providing a functional explanation that leads to intervention it offers a label as an explanation hindering effective assessment and behaviorchange procedures Behaviorism especially radical behaviorism emphasizes looking for environmental determinants of behavior rather than relying on internal unobservable constructs as explanations Sound logical inference would involve drawing conclusions based on empirical evidence and established principles which circular reasoning fails to do