ABAT ABAT Generalization and Maintenance Strategies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of 'stimulus generalization'?
- A child requests water at home after learning to request at school (Correct answer)
- A child learns to tie shoes faster each session
- A child stops hitting after punishment is applied
- A child uses a new word only with the therapist
Correct answer: A child requests water at home after learning to request at school
Stimulus generalization occurs when a behavior trained in one context occurs in the presence of different but similar stimuli, such as a new setting.
Question 2: 'Response generalization' occurs when:
- The same behavior occurs across many settings
- Multiple topographically different behaviors emerge after training one behavior (Correct answer)
- Behavior is maintained without continued reinforcement
- A prompt is successfully faded
Correct answer: Multiple topographically different behaviors emerge after training one behavior
Response generalization refers to the spread of effects to untrained responses that are functionally similar or related to the trained response.
Question 3: To promote maintenance, a technician should:
- Keep reinforcement dense throughout all sessions indefinitely
- Thin the reinforcement schedule gradually as the skill is mastered (Correct answer)
- Immediately stop all reinforcement once mastery is reached
- Switch to punishment to maintain behavior
Correct answer: Thin the reinforcement schedule gradually as the skill is mastered
Gradually thinning the reinforcement schedule as mastery is achieved mirrors natural reinforcement conditions and supports durable maintenance.
Question 4: The 'train and hope' approach to generalization is considered ineffective because:
- It uses too many reinforcers
- It relies on generalization occurring without systematic programming (Correct answer)
- It involves too many trainers
- It does not measure behavior
Correct answer: It relies on generalization occurring without systematic programming
'Train and hope' assumes generalization will occur automatically without planning for it, which is unreliable and often results in skills failing to transfer.
Question 5: Using 'natural maintaining contingencies' to support generalization means:
- Delivering artificial reinforcers in all settings
- Identifying and utilizing reinforcement that naturally occurs in the learner's environment (Correct answer)
- Asking caregivers to run formal trials at home
- Restricting training to the most natural setting only
Correct answer: Identifying and utilizing reinforcement that naturally occurs in the learner's environment
Natural maintaining contingencies are the reinforcers that exist in the natural environment and can sustain a behavior once the formal intervention ends.
Question 6: Which step in programming generalization involves identifying where and with whom the skill should eventually occur?
- Conducting a preference assessment
- Defining the generalization goal and target environment (Correct answer)
- Selecting prompting hierarchy
- Writing the mastery criterion
Correct answer: Defining the generalization goal and target environment
Identifying the generalization target environment and people is the first step in systematically programming for generalization so training can be designed accordingly.
ABAT ABAT Generalization and Maintenance Strategies 2
Which of the following is an example of 'stimulus generalization'?