Concepts & Principles of Behavior Analysis Flashcards
7 cards from real ABA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Concepts & Principles of Behavior Analysis flashcards as text
Which reinforcement schedule delivers reinforcement after a set number of responses regardless of elapsed time?
Answer: Fixed ratio
Fixed ratio schedules provide reinforcement after a fixed, predetermined number of responses, producing a characteristic post-reinforcement pause.
When an organism responds at a higher rate just before a fixed-interval reinforcement becomes available, this pattern is called:
Answer: Scallop effect
The scallop pattern on a cumulative record shows low responding just after reinforcement and accelerating responding as the interval end approaches.
A conditioned reinforcer is one that:
Answer: Gains reinforcing value through pairing with other reinforcers
Conditioned (secondary) reinforcers acquire reinforcing value through repeated pairing with unconditioned or other established reinforcers.
A generalized conditioned reinforcer is one that:
Answer: Has been paired with multiple backup reinforcers
Generalized conditioned reinforcers (like money or praise) maintain their effectiveness across varying motivational states because they are backed by many different reinforcers.
Punishment by removal involves:
Answer: Removing a stimulus that decreases future behavior
Negative punishment (punishment by removal) decreases future behavior by removing a stimulus (typically a preferred one) contingent on the behavior.
The process of response chaining builds complex behavior by:
Answer: Linking discrete responses so each response produces the discriminative stimulus for the next
In a behavior chain, each response produces a conditioned reinforcer that also serves as the SD for the next response, linking components into a functional sequence.
Which experimental design is most commonly used in ABA to demonstrate experimental control by replicating the effect within the same participant?
Answer: Reversal (ABAB) design
The ABAB reversal design demonstrates experimental control by showing that behavior changes when the intervention is applied and reverses when it is removed, within the same individual.