ABAT Foundational Knowledge 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus following a behavior?
- Positive reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement (Correct answer)
- Positive punishment
- Negative punishment
Correct answer: Negative reinforcement
Negative reinforcement increases behavior by removing or avoiding an aversive (unpleasant) stimulus.
Question 2: A child engages in a behavior that previously produced candy, but candy is no longer delivered. Over time the behavior decreases. This process is called:
- Habituation
- Extinction (Correct answer)
- Satiation
- Fading
Correct answer: Extinction
Extinction occurs when reinforcement that previously maintained a behavior is withheld, causing the behavior to decrease.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of a conditioned reinforcer?
- Food when hungry
- Water when thirsty
- Money (Correct answer)
- Warmth when cold
Correct answer: Money
Money is a conditioned (secondary) reinforcer because its reinforcing value is learned through pairing with other reinforcers.
Question 4: The principle that states behavior is a function of its consequences is the foundation of:
- Classical conditioning
- Operant conditioning (Correct answer)
- Observational learning
- Cognitive dissonance theory
Correct answer: Operant conditioning
Operant conditioning, established by Skinner, holds that behavior is selected and maintained by its environmental consequences.
Question 5: A stimulus that precedes a behavior and signals that reinforcement is available is called a:
- Punisher
- Discriminative stimulus (SD) (Correct answer)
- Unconditioned stimulus
- Motivating operation
Correct answer: Discriminative stimulus (SD)
A discriminative stimulus (SD) sets the occasion for a behavior by signaling that reinforcement is available.
Question 6: Which schedule of reinforcement is most resistant to extinction?
- Fixed ratio
- Fixed interval
- Variable ratio (Correct answer)
- Variable interval
Correct answer: Variable ratio
Variable ratio schedules produce high, steady rates of responding and are the most resistant to extinction.
Question 7: Positive punishment differs from negative punishment in that positive punishment:
- Increases behavior by adding a stimulus
- Decreases behavior by adding an aversive stimulus (Correct answer)
- Increases behavior by removing a stimulus
- Decreases behavior by removing a preferred stimulus
Correct answer: Decreases behavior by adding an aversive stimulus
Positive punishment decreases behavior by adding (presenting) an aversive stimulus after the behavior occurs.
ABAT Foundational Knowledge 2
Which type of reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus following a behavior?