CBC Applied Behavior Analysis Foundations & Principles 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Negative reinforcement is best described as:
- Removing a preferred item following an undesirable behavior to decrease it
- Adding an aversive stimulus following a behavior to decrease it
- Removing an aversive stimulus following a behavior, thereby increasing that behavior (Correct answer)
- Withholding reinforcement following a previously reinforced behavior
Correct answer: Removing an aversive stimulus following a behavior, thereby increasing that behavior
Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior by removing or avoiding an aversive stimulus when the behavior occurs, making the behavior more likely in the future.
Question 2: A continuous reinforcement (CRF) schedule means that:
- Reinforcement is delivered after a fixed number of responses
- Every occurrence of the target behavior is reinforced (Correct answer)
- Reinforcement is delivered at fixed time intervals regardless of behavior
- Reinforcement is delivered unpredictably to maintain high response rates
Correct answer: Every occurrence of the target behavior is reinforced
CRF involves reinforcing every single instance of the target behavior, which is typically used during the initial acquisition phase of learning.
Question 3: Which reinforcement schedule produces the highest and most consistent rate of responding and is most resistant to extinction?
- Fixed ratio (FR)
- Fixed interval (FI)
- Variable ratio (VR) (Correct answer)
- Variable interval (VI)
Correct answer: Variable ratio (VR)
Variable ratio schedules produce the highest rates of responding and are most resistant to extinction because reinforcement is unpredictable and tied to the number of responses.
Question 4: Extinction in ABA refers to:
- Punishment of a behavior until it no longer occurs
- Withholding the reinforcer that previously maintained a behavior, resulting in a decrease (Correct answer)
- The natural decay of a behavior over time without intervention
- Replacing an undesirable behavior with a more appropriate one
Correct answer: Withholding the reinforcer that previously maintained a behavior, resulting in a decrease
Extinction involves identifying and withholding the reinforcer that has been maintaining a behavior, causing the behavior to decrease and eventually cease.
Question 5: An 'extinction burst' refers to:
- A rapid increase in behavior frequency or intensity when extinction is first implemented (Correct answer)
- A sudden and permanent cessation of the target behavior
- The generalization of extinction effects to other similar behaviors
- A brief recovery of behavior after it has been successfully extinguished
Correct answer: A rapid increase in behavior frequency or intensity when extinction is first implemented
An extinction burst is the temporary increase in the frequency, intensity, or variability of a behavior that often occurs at the onset of an extinction procedure.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of 'stimulus generalization'?
- A child learns to say 'dog' and uses the label correctly for many different breeds of dogs (Correct answer)
- A student stops misbehaving in math class but continues in science class
- A client performs a skill correctly only when the original therapist is present
- A learner responds differently to two stimuli that have been trained as distinct
Correct answer: A child learns to say 'dog' and uses the label correctly for many different breeds of dogs
Stimulus generalization occurs when a behavior learned under specific stimulus conditions also occurs in the presence of similar stimuli that were not part of the original training.
Question 7: Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) involves:
- Reinforcing an alternative behavior that is incompatible with the problem behavior
- Reinforcing any behavior except the target problem behavior during a set time interval (Correct answer)
- Reinforcing a lower rate of the problem behavior than the current baseline rate
- Reinforcing the same behavior but only in appropriate settings
Correct answer: Reinforcing any behavior except the target problem behavior during a set time interval
DRO delivers reinforcement contingent on the absence of the target behavior during a specified time interval, regardless of what other behavior the person engages in.
CBC Applied Behavior Analysis Foundations & Principles 2
Negative reinforcement is best described as: