Multiple control happens when more than one factor influences what someone says, or when one situation leads to different responses.
Think of it like this: our words are shaped by what’s happening around us, how we feel, and what we want. Real life is full of “messy” situations, and that’s why behavior doesn’t always look the same in every context.
Convergent Multiple Control
What does it mean? Convergent multiple control happens when different things lead to the same response.
Example: A child says “dog” when they see a picture of a dog, hear someone bark, or watch a dog run in the park. Even though the triggers are different (a picture, a sound, or a real dog), the child’s response (“dog”) is the same.
Divergent Multiple Control
What does it mean? Divergent multiple control happens when one thing leads to different responses.
Example:
You say, “Let’s clean up!” to a group of kids.
This one instruction might lead to different responses:
One child puts the toys away.
Another child starts stacking blocks.
A third child asks, “Can I clean the crayons?”
The same direction—“Let’s clean up!”—led to a variety of actions.
How Multiple Control Shows Up in Language
When children talk, their words are often influenced by more than one thing. These can include what they see, how they feel, or what they want.
Example: A child sees a plate of cookies (they see cookies) and feels hungry (they want cookies). They say, “Can I have a cookie?” The child’s words come from more than one factor: the sight of the cookies and their hunger.
Understanding multiple control helps parents and teachers see why children’s words or actions might look different in different situations. It also reminds us that behavior is context-based—what kids say and do often depends on what’s going on around them.