ABA ABA Generalization & Maintenance 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In behavior analysis, 'generalization' refers to:
- The process of reducing a behavior to zero across all settings
- The occurrence of a behavior in conditions other than those in which it was trained (Correct answer)
- Repeating the same behavioral intervention in every environment
- Increasing the rate of a behavior during training sessions only
Correct answer: The occurrence of a behavior in conditions other than those in which it was trained
Generalization occurs when a learned behavior appears under conditions (stimuli, settings, people) beyond the original training context.
Question 2: Which type of generalization involves a behavior occurring in the presence of stimuli that were not present during training?
- Response generalization
- Stimulus generalization (Correct answer)
- Maintenance
- Behavioral contrast
Correct answer: Stimulus generalization
Stimulus generalization occurs when a trained response is emitted in the presence of novel stimuli that share relevant properties with the training stimulus.
Question 3: Response generalization is defined as:
- A behavior occurring across multiple settings trained simultaneously
- The emission of untrained but functionally equivalent behaviors when a trained response is reinforced (Correct answer)
- Maintenance of a skill three months after training ends
- The spread of a behavior to different times of day
Correct answer: The emission of untrained but functionally equivalent behaviors when a trained response is reinforced
Response generalization occurs when reinforcing one response increases the probability of topographically similar but untrained responses.
Question 4: Training loosely (varying training stimuli, settings, and instructors) is a strategy used to promote:
- Behavioral momentum
- Extinction
- Generalization (Correct answer)
- Differential reinforcement
Correct answer: Generalization
Introducing variability during training (multiple exemplars, instructors, settings) reduces overly narrow stimulus control and promotes broader generalization.
Question 5: The 'multiple exemplar training' strategy is designed to:
- Teach one topography through multiple prompts
- Expose the learner to many examples of the same concept to produce stimulus and response generalization (Correct answer)
- Use multiple reinforcers simultaneously during extinction
- Schedule multiple sessions per day to increase fluency
Correct answer: Expose the learner to many examples of the same concept to produce stimulus and response generalization
Multiple exemplar training (MET) uses a variety of examples of a stimulus class or response class to build broad, flexible generalized performance.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST illustrates a failure of generalization?
- A child refuses to eat vegetables at home after being taught to eat them at school (Correct answer)
- A student correctly answers math problems both on worksheets and on a computer
- A client greets peers in therapy, in the community, and at home
- A learner maintains hand-washing skills six months after training
Correct answer: A child refuses to eat vegetables at home after being taught to eat them at school
When a skill taught in one setting (school) does not transfer to another (home), generalization has failed — the stimulus control is too narrow.
ABA ABA Generalization & Maintenance 1
In behavior analysis, 'generalization' refers to: