Core ABA Principles Flashcards
7 cards from real ABAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Core ABA Principles flashcards as text
A child receives a sticker every time they complete exactly 5 math problems, regardless of elapsed time. Which reinforcement schedule is this?
Answer: Fixed ratio (FR5)
A fixed ratio schedule delivers reinforcement after a fixed number of responses, in this case every 5 completions.
What typically occurs at the onset of an extinction procedure for a behavior that was previously reinforced?
Answer: A temporary increase in rate, intensity, or variability of the behavior
An extinction burst is the temporary increase in the frequency or intensity of a behavior when reinforcement is first withheld.
Negative reinforcement is best defined as:
Answer: Removing an aversive stimulus contingent on a behavior, thereby increasing that behavior
Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior by removing an aversive stimulus when the behavior occurs.
The 'scalloped' cumulative response pattern, where responding accelerates near the end of each time period, is characteristic of which schedule?
Answer: Fixed interval
Fixed interval schedules produce a scallop pattern because the subject learns reinforcement becomes available only after a set amount of time elapses.
Which reinforcement schedule produces the greatest resistance to extinction?
Answer: Variable ratio
Variable ratio schedules produce the most resistance to extinction because the unpredictable timing of reinforcement makes it difficult for the subject to detect that extinction has begun.
A parent praises a child approximately every 4 to 6 instances of sharing on average. This is best described as a:
Answer: Variable ratio schedule
A variable ratio schedule delivers reinforcement after an average number of responses, with the exact count varying each time.
Spontaneous recovery in behavioral terms refers to:
Answer: The reappearance of a previously extinguished behavior after a period of rest
Spontaneous recovery occurs when an extinguished behavior briefly reappears after a rest period, indicating extinction must be consistently maintained.