Applied Behavior Analysis Autism Core Knowledge 1 Flashcards

Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'stimulus overselectivity' as it commonly appears in individuals with ASD?

Answer: Responding to only one or a limited number of cues in a multi-element stimulus

Stimulus overselectivity (also called 'tunnel vision') occurs when a learner responds to only a narrow subset of available cues rather than the broader stimulus complex, a pattern particularly common in individuals with ASD and a key consideration when designing ABA instructional programs.

In the context of ASD and ABA, 'manding' is a verbal operant that is primarily maintained by:

Answer: Specific reinforcement directly related to the content of the verbal behavior

A mand (request) is the only verbal operant whose reinforcement is directly specified by the response itself — asking for 'water' is reinforced by receiving water. This specificity makes mand training a foundational priority in ABA programs for individuals with ASD who have limited communication.

Which behavioral mechanism BEST explains why a child with ASD may engage in repetitive self-stimulatory behavior (stereotypy)?

Answer: Automatic reinforcement from sensory consequences produced by the behavior itself

Stereotypy is most commonly maintained by automatic reinforcement — the sensory feedback generated by the behavior itself — rather than by social consequences. This distinguishes it from many other problem behaviors and requires different intervention strategies.

The term 'theory of mind' deficit in individuals with ASD refers to difficulty with:

Answer: Understanding that others have beliefs, desires, and perspectives different from one's own

Theory of mind (ToM) refers to the ability to attribute independent mental states — beliefs, intentions, emotions — to oneself and others. Deficits in ToM are strongly associated with ASD and help explain challenges in social communication, perspective-taking, and predicting others' behavior.

A behavior analyst is teaching a child with ASD to greet peers across multiple settings, trainers, and stimuli. This procedure is BEST described as:

Answer: Programming for generalization

Programming for generalization involves intentionally varying trainers, settings, materials, and stimuli so that a learned behavior occurs across relevant untrained conditions. Because individuals with ASD frequently show restricted generalization, this is an explicit and essential component of ABA intervention planning.

Which of the following BEST describes 'pivotal response training' (PRT) as used in ABA for individuals with ASD?

Answer: A naturalistic intervention targeting pivotal areas such as motivation and self-management to produce broad collateral improvements

PRT is a naturalistic, play-based ABA approach developed by Koegel and colleagues that targets 'pivotal' behavioral areas — motivation, responsivity to multiple cues, self-management, and social initiations — because improvements in these areas produce widespread collateral gains across untrained behaviors and settings.