BCBA Flashcards
1
Q
2-types of punishment
A
Positive and negative
2
Q
ABC recording
A
A form of direct, continuous observation in which the observer records a descriptive, temporally sequenced account of all behavior(s) of interest and the antecedent conditions and consequences for those behaviors as those events occur in the client’s natural environment.
3
Q
Advantage of a Functional Analysis (FA)
A
Ability to yield a clear demonstration of the variables that are functionally related to the occurrence of a problem behavior
4
Q
Advantages of a scatterplot
A
1) Identify correlations beween 2 variables (usually, but not always, time of day and another variable), 2) may identify time periods or time-related variables correlated with behavior.
5
Q
Advantages of ABC data
A
1) Based on continuous recording and use precise measures 2) in some cases may reflect (not confirm) casual relations, 3) likely to provide useful information for designing a subsequent functional analysis 4) do not require disruption to the person’s routine to conduct.
6
Q
Advantages of Descriptive Assessment
A
1) 0bservations are conducted under naturally occurring conditions (less disruptive to naturally occurring routine, 2) assist in planning of functional analysis.
7
Q
Advantages of Indirect Functional Assessment
A
1) may provide a useful source of information in guiding subsequent, more objective assessments, 2) contribute to the development of hypotheses about variables that might occasion or maintain the behaviors of concern, 3) may be more convenient as they do not require direct observation of problem behavior.
8
Q
Analytic
A
Demonstrating a functional relation between a manipulated variable/ event and a reliable change in some measurable dimension of the targeted behavior.
9
Q
Antecedent
A
An environmental change or stimulus change existing prior to a behavior of interest.
10
Q
Antecedent Interventions
A
Behavior change tactics based on contingency-independent antecedent events.
11
Q
Applied
A
Socially significant for participants (improve their day-to-day life experiences) and/ or socially significant to participant’s significant others (resulting in more positive behavior toward the participant)
12
Q
Applied Behavior Analysis
A
The science in which tactics or methods derived from the principles of behavior are applied to improve socially significant behavior and experimentation is used to identify the variables responsible for the behavior change.
13
Q
Audience
A
Anyone who functions as a discriminative stimulus evoking verbal behavior.
14
Q
Autoclitic
A
A secondary verbal operant in which some aspect of a speaker’s own verbal behavior functions as an Sd or an MO for additional speaker verbal behavior; verbal behavior about verbal behavior.
15
Q
Automatic Punishment
A
Punishment that occurs independent of the social mediation by others.
16
Q
Automatic Reinforcement
A
Reinforcement that occurs independent of the social mediation of others.
17
Q
Autonomy
A
To promote an individual’s independence.
18
Q
Avoidance Contingency
A
A contingency in which responding delays or prevents the presentation of a stimulus.
19
Q
Baseline
A
A condition of an experiment or control condition in which a specific independent variable is absent (not necessarily absence of treatment).
20
Q
Behavior
A
The activity of living organisms.
21
Q
Behavior-altering effect
A
Alteration in the current frequency of behavior as a result of value-altering effect of a motivating operation; either evocative or abative.
22
Q
Behavioral
A
Studying and precisely measuring the activity of living organisms (physical events) rather than perceptions or descriptions of events
23
Q
Behavioral Assessment
A
A form of assessment that involves a full range of inquiry methods (observation, interview, testing, and the systematic manipulation of antecedent or consequence variables) to identify probable antecedent and consequent controlling or correlated variables.
24
Q
Behavioral Cusp
A
A behavior change that has consequences beyond the change itself, some of which may be important; exposes individual to new environments, new contingencies, or new responses
25
Behavioral Momentum
A type of antecedent intervention in which high-probability request sequences are delivered before a low probability request
26
Blue Ribbon Committee
Committee put together following the Miami/ Sundland abuse investigation that helped to draft the first set of guidelines and recommendations to protect and provide oversight to those with disabilities
27
Boundaries for all schedules of reinforcement
CRF and EXT
28
Celeration
A measure of how response rate changes over time; how fast change occurs
29
Chaining procedures
A specific sequence of discrete responses, each associated with a particular stimulus condition. When linked together, the result is a behavior change that produces a terminal outcome. Three types: forward, backward and total task.
30
Client
Any recipient or beneficiary of the professional services provided by the behavior analyst, including direct recipient of services, parent/guardian, employer/ agency representative.
31
Conceptually Systematic
Procedures are dervied from basic principles of behavior. 4 princ of bx punishment, Rein, ext and stimulus control
32
Concurrent Schedule
Two or more contingencies operate independently and simultaneously for two or more behaviors.
33
Conditional Probability
The likelihood that a target problem behavior will occur in a given circumstance.
34
Conditioned motivating operations
Motivating variables that alter the reinforcing effectiveness of other stimuli, objects or events, but only as a result of the organisms learning history. Three types: surrogate, transitive and reflexive.
35
Conditioned Punisher
A previously neutral stimulus change that functions as a punisher because of prior pairing with one or more other punishers.
36
Conditioned Reinforcer
A previously neutral stimulus change that functions as a reinforcer because of prior pairing with one or more other reinforcers.
37
Conditioning
The pairing of stimuli to result in learning; two types: operant and respondent.
38
Conditions in Iwata et al. (1982/1994) functional analysis
Escape, attention, alone, play
39
Confidentiality
A situation of trust insofar as any information regarding a person receiving or having received services may not be discussed with or otherwise made available to another person or group, unless that person has provided explicit authorization for release of such information.
40
Conflict of Interest
A situation in which a person in a position of responsibility or trust has competing professional or personal interests that make it difficult to fulfill his or her duties impartially.
41
Consequence
A stimulus change that follows a behavior of interest.
42
Contiguity
Bordering or being in direct contact with something.
43
Contingency
Dependent and/or temporal relations between operant behavior and its controlling variables; if this, then that.
44
Contingency Reversal
Exchanging the reinforcement contingencies for two topographically different responses.
45
Continuous Reinforcement
A schedule that provides reinforcement for each occurrence of behavior (CRF).
46
Copying a Text
An elementary verbal operant that is evoked by a nonvocal verbal discriminative stimulus that has point-to-point correspondence and formal similarity with the controlling response (SEE-WRITE response).
47
Cumulative Record
Graph on which cumulative number of responses are represented on vertical axis.
48
Data
Product of measurement
49
Dependent Variable
The variable in an experiment measured to determine if it changes as a result of manipulations of the independent variable; in applied behavior analysis, it represents some measure of a socially significant behavior
50
Descriptive Functional Behavior Assessment
Direct observation of problem behavior and the antecedent and consequent events under naturally occurring conditions.
51
Determinism
The assumption that the universe is a lawful and orderly place in which phenomenon occur in relation to other events and not willy-nilly, or in accidental fashion.
52
Dictation
An elementary verbal operant involving a written response that is evoked by an auditory verbal discriminative stimulus that has point-to-point correspondence but no formal similarity between the stimulus and the response product (HEAR-WRITE Response)
53
Differential Reinforcement
Reinforcing only those responses within a response class that meet a specific criterion along some dimension(s) and placing all other responses in the class on extinction
54
Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA)
A procedure in which the practitioner reinforces occurrences of a behavior that provides a desirable and functionally-equivalent alternative to the problem behavior but is not necessarily incompatible with it and withholds reinforcement following instances of the problem behavior.
55
Differential Reinforcement of High Rates (DRH)
A procedure in which reinforcement is provided at the end of a predetermined interval contingent on the number of responses emitted during the interval being greater than a gradually increasing criterion based on the individual's performance in previous intervals.
56
Differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI)
A procedure in which the practitioner reinforces a behavior that can not occur simultaneously with the problem behavior and withholds reinforcement following instances of the problem behavior.
57
Differential Reinforcement of Low Rate Behavior (DRL)
A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement (a) follows each occurrence of the target behavior that is separated from the previous response by a minimum interresponse time (spaced-responding), or (b) is contingent on the number of responses within a period of time not exceeding a predetermined criterion (full-session)
58
Differential reinforcement of zero rates (DRO)
A procedure in which the practitioner reinforces whenever the problem behavior has not occurred during or at specific times. Procedural variations include interval and momentary schedules. Also referred to as omission training.
59
Discrete trial
Any operant whose response rate is controlled by a given opportunity to emit the response (also called restricted operant or controlled operant); contrast with free operant.
60
Discriminated Operant
An operant that occurs more frequently under some antecedent conditions than under others.
61
Discriminative stimulus (Sd)
A stimulus in the presence of which a response has been reinforced in the past and in the absence of which the same type of responses have occurred and not been reinforced; contrast with SΔ/ stimulus delta.
62
Discriminative stimulus for punishment (Sdp)
A stimulus in the presence of which a response has been punished in the past and in the absence of which the same type of responses have occurred and not been punished
63
DO NO HARM
A CORE Ethical Principle that states that no emotional, physical or psychological harm to a client is first priority.
64
Duration
A measure of the total extent of time in which a behavior occurs.
65
Echoic
An elementary verbal operant involving an auditory response that is evoked by an auditory verbal discriminative stimulus that has point-to-point correspondence and formal similarity with the response; (HEAR-SAY Response).
66
Effective
Producing large enough behavior change for practical value.
67
Effects of Fixed Interval Schedule
1) slow to moderate rates of responding with a post reinforcement pause, 2) responding begins to accelerate toward the end of the interval. Produces an effect called scallop.
68
Effects of Fixed Ratio Schedule
1) high rate of response, 2) little hesitation between responses, 3) post -reinforcement pause
69
Effects of Variable Interval Schedule
1) slow to moderate response rate that is constant and stable, 2) no post-reinforcement pause
70
Effects of Variable Ratio Schedule
1) very high rate of response and little hesitation between responses, 2) no post-reinforcement pause
71
Empiricism
The objective (direct) observation of the phenomenon of interest
72
Environment
The conglomerate of circumstances in which an individual exists and is demonstrating behavior.
73
Errorless learning
Gradually fading instructional stimuli (response or stimulus prompts) in order to minimize or prevent errors.
74
Escape Contingency
A contingency in which responding terminates an ongoing stimulus.
75
Escape Extinction
Escape responses no longer provide reinforcement as a result of escape attempts being blocked.
76
Ethics
Behaviors, practices, and decisions that address such basic and fundamental questions as: What is the right thing to do? What's worth doing? What does it mean to be a good behavior analytic practitioner?
77
Evidence Based Treatment
A treatment or intervention method that has been demonstrated to be effective through substantial, high-quality scientific research.
78
Examples of Negative Punishment Procedures
Response cost, time-out from positive reinforcement.
79
Examples of Positive Punishment Procedures
Reprimand, response blocking, contingent exercise, overcorrection, contingent electric stimulation.
80
Experimental Control
An outcome of an experiment that demonstrates convincingly a functional relation.
81
Experimental Design
The particular type and sequence of conditions in a study employed so that meaningful comparisons of the effects of the presence and absence of the independent variable can be made.
82
Experimentation
The use of experiments, or carefully controlled comparisons of the phenomenon of interest, to identify relations between variables.
83
Exploitive Relationships
A situation where one individual takes advantage of another whom he/ she has power over (supervisees, subordinates) unjustly for his/ her own benefit; creates a conflict of interest.
84
Extinction Burst
Initial increase in response frequency upon implementation or occurrence of extinction.
85
Fixed Interval (FI)
A schedule of reinforcement in which the reinforcer is delivered for the first response emitted following the passage of a fixed duration of time since the last response was reinforced.
86
Fixed ratio (FR)
A schedule of reinforcement that requires a fixed number of responses to be completed before a response produces reinforcement.
87
Fluency
Behaving with speed and accuracy.
88
Formal Similarity
In verbal behavior, controlling stimulus and response product are in the same sense mode and resemble each other (implies point to point correspondence)
89
Free Operant
An operant behavior (response) that is emitted without any constraints or prompts; contrast with discrete trial.
90
Free operant arrangement
A teaching tactic in which the teacher arranges for learning opportunities in which the learner can emit the target response at almost any time without constraint.
91
Function of Behavior
behavior-environment interactions described as positive or negative reinforcement contingencies; include social positive reinforcement (attention), tangible reinforcement, automatic positive reinforcement; social negative reinforcement (escape), and automatic negative reinforcement
92
Functional Analysis (FA)
An analysis of the purposes (functions) of problem behavior, wherein antecedents and consequences representing those in the person's natural routines are arranged within an experimental design so that their separate effects on problem behavior can be observed and measured; typically consists of four conditions: three test conditions - contingent attention, contingent escape, and alone - and a control condition in which problem behavior is expected to be low because reinforcement is freely available and no demands are placed on the person. Each condition contains a motivating operation (MO) and a potential source of reinforcement.
93
Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
A systematic method of assessment for obtaining information about the purposes (functions) a problem behavior serves for a person; results are used to guide the design of an intervention for decreasing the problem behavior and increasing appropriate behavior.
94
Functional Relation
a statement that describes how 2 variables (events) are related where a change in one event can reliably be produced by the specific manipulation of another event.
95
Functionally Equivalent
Serving the same function or purpose; different topographies of behavior are functionally equivalent if they produce the same consequences.
96
Generality
Producing behavior change that lasts over time, appears in new environments other than the one in which the intervention initially took place, or spreads to other behaviors not directly treated by the intervention.
97
Generalized Conditioned Reinforcer
A conditioned reinforcer that has been paired with many other reinforcers and as a result, does not depend on an establishing operation for its effectiveness.
98
Graph
A visual display of relationship between measurements and relevant variables.
99
Harmful Reinforcers
Reinforcers that can cause damage long term (cigars, high fat / sugar foods, etc.).
100
Hypothesis
An idea or theory that is not proven but that leads to further study or investigation.
101
Imitation
Matching the behavior of a novel model immediately following the occurrence of that novel model; excludes vocal-verbal behaviors.
102
Imitative Behavior
A new behavior emitted following a novel antecedent event (i.e. the model); related to imitation and modeling.
103
Independent Variable
The variable that is systematically manipulated by the researcher in an experiment to determine whether changes in the independent variable produce reliable changes in the dependent variable. In applied behavior analysis, the IV is usually an antecedent or consequent to the dependent variable (DV).
104
Indirect Functional Assessment
Structured interviews, check-lists, rating scales, or questionnaires used to obtain information from people who are familiar with the person exhibiting the problem behavior (e.g. teachers, parents, caregivers, and/or the individual him-or herself); used to identify conditions or events in the natural environment that correlate with the problem behavior.
105
Informed Consent
The process whereby the potential recipient of services or participant in a research study gives explicit permission before any assessment or treatment is provided. Full disclosure of effects and side effects must be provided. To give consent, the person must (a) demonstrate the capacity to decide, (b) do so voluntarily, and (c) have adequate knowledge of all salient aspects of the treatment.
106
Integrity
The quality of being truthful, honest and maintaining commitments.
107
Intermittent Schedule of Reinforcement
A schedule in which some, but not all occurrences of a behavior are reinforced.
108
Internal Review Board (IRB)
Required component of the research process where approval is received to ensure no harm is committed.
109
Interobserver Agreement
Degree to which two or more independent observers report the same observed value after measuring the same event.
110
Interresponse Time (IRT)
The amount of time that elapses between two consecutive instances of a response.
111
Interval Schedule
Reinforcement schedule that requires an elapse of time before a response produces reinforcement.
112
Intraverbal
An elementary verbal operant that is evoked by a verbal discriminative stimulus and that does not have point-to-point correspondence with that verbal stimulus (HEAR-SAY response)
113
Introduce to natural maintaining contingencies
Programming for the generalization and maintenance of any behavior for which any contingency of reinforcement (or punishment) operates independent of the practitioner’s efforts.
114
Latency
The elapsed time between the onset of a stimulus and the initiation of a subsequent response.
115
Least Restrictive Procedures
A policy that states that restrictive interventions are used only with individuals demonstrating dangerous behaviors for which non-restrictive interventions have been attempted and documnted as ineffective.
116
Level
The value on y axis around which a set of measures converge (can be mean, median, mode).
117
Limitations of a Functional Analysis
1) the assessment process may temporarily strengthen or increase the undesirable behavior acquiring new functions; 2) the deliberate arrangement of conditions that set the occasion for, or potentially reinforce, problem behavior can be counterintuitive to persons who do not understand its purpose; 3) some behaviors may not be amenable to functional analyses; 4) unctional analyses that are conducted in contrived settings might not detect the variable that accounts for the occurrence of the problem behavior in the natural environment; and 5) the time, effort and professional expertise required to conduct and interpret functional analyses have been frequently cited as obstacles to its widespread use in practice.
118
Limitations of a scatterplot
1) may be unclear whether temporal patterns are routinely evident; 2) obtaining accurate data with scatterplots may be difficult, 3) the subjective nature of the ratings of how often the behavior occurs can contribute to difficulties with interpretation.
119
Limitation of ABC data
Correlations can be difficult to detect, especially if the influential antecedents and consequences do not reliably precede and follow the behavior.
120
Limitations of Descriptive Assessment
1) correlations can be difficult to detect; 2) data can be misleading, 3) functional relations may not be detected;
121
Limitations of Indirect Functional Assessment
1) informants may not have accurate and unbiased recall of behavior and the conditions under which it occurred; 2) little research exists to support the reliability of the information obtained from indirect assessment methods.
122
Listener
In verbal behavior, the individual who provides reinforcement for verbal behavior. A listener may also serve as an audience evoking verbal behavior.
123
Magnitude
Force or intensity of a response.
124
Maintenance of Behavior
The extent to which a learner continues to exhibit a behavior after a portion or all of an intervention has been terminated.
125
Mand
An elementary verbal operant that is evoked by a motivating operation and followed by specific reinforcement.
126
Measurement
The process of assigning a value (numbers or units) to a particular feature of an object or event.
127
Mentalism
An approach to explaining behavior that assumes that a mental or inner dimension exists that differs from a behavioral dimension and that the phenomena in this dimension either directly causes or in some way influences some forms of behavior.
128
Miami Sunland Investigation
A 1972 abuse case that resulted in major overhaul of ethical guidelines for the field of ABA.
129
Modeling
A type of antecedent stimulus in which the instructor demonstrates a physical movement for the learner and this demonstration evokes imitative behavior.
130
Motivating Operation
Antecedent variable that alters (increases or decreases) the effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event as a reinforcer and then alters (increases or decreases) the frequency of a behavior that has been reinforced by that stimulus, object, or event in the past.
131
Multiple Relationships
A situation in which a behavior analyst is in both a behavior-analytic role and a non-behavior-analytic role simultaneously with a client, supervisee, or someone closely associated with or related to the client; prohibited by BACB Ethics Code.
132
Negative Punishment
A response is followed immediately by the removal of a stimulus that decreases the future frequency of similar responses under similar conditions; referred to as Type II punishment.
133
Negative Reinforcement
A response is followed immediately by the removal of a stimulus that increases the future frequency of similar responses under similar conditions
134
Observer Drift
Any unintended change in the way an observer uses a measurement system over the course of an investigation that results in measurement error.
135
Operant Behavior
Behavior whose future frequency is determined by its history of consequences.
136
Operant Conditioning
The basic process by which operant learning ocurs; consequences result in an increased or decreasedfrequency of the same type of behavior under simular motivational and environmental conditions in the future.
137
Operant Extinction
A schedule that withholds reinforcement for an occurrence of a target behavior; noted as EXT
138
Operational Definition
A clear, concrete description of the target behavior. Can be function-based or topography- based.
139
Organizational Behavior Management (OBM)
Applying principles of behavior analysis to organizations and the work force; performance management
140
Parsimony
The practice of ruling out simple, logical explanations before considering more abstract or complex explanations.
141
Percent
Ratio formed by expressing the proportional quality of some event in terms of the number of times it occurred per 100 opportunities.
142
Personalized System of Instruction
A teaching model or system that: utilizes written word as the primary delivery of instructional content, self-pacing, mastery of content, use of proctors, and lecture for motivational purposes. Also known as The Keller Method.
143
Philosophic Doubt
An attitude that the truthfulness and validity of all scientific theory and knowledge should be continually questioned.
144
Pivotal Behavior
A behavior, once learned, that produces corresponding modifications or covariations in other adaptive untrained behaviors.
145
Point to point correspondence
In verbal behavior, occurs when the beginning, middle, and end of the stimulus control the corresponding beginning, middle, and end of the response or response-product. Can occur without formal similarity (i.e. across sense modes)
146
Positive Punishment
A response is followed immediately by the presentation of a stimulus that decreases the future frequency of similar responses under similar conditions; referred to as Type I punishment
147
Positive Reinforcement
A response is followed immediately by the presentation of a stimulus that increases the future frequency of similar responses under similar conditions
148
Positive Reinforcer
A stimulus whose presentation or onset functions as reinforcement.
149
Pragmatism
The philosophy or belief that the truth of a theory is related to its practical success in its application.
150
Prediction
A statement of the anticipated outcome of a presently unknown or future measurement; one of three components to baseline logic
151
Premack Principle
A statement that makes the opportunity to engage in a high-probability behavior contingent upon the occurrence of a low-probability behavior; assumes preferred activities reinforce lower-probability behavior.
152
Principle of Behavior
A statement describing a functional relation between behavior and one or more of its controlling variables with generality across organisms, species, settings, behaviors, and time
153
Private Events
Those events wherein individuals respond with respect to certain stimuli accessible to themselves alone. The responses that are made to those stimuli may themselves be public, i.e., observable by others, or they may be private, i.e. accessible only to the individual involved.
154
Professional and Ethical Compliance Code
The document published by the BACB that outlines the professional and ethical behavior required of a behavior analyst.
155
Program common stimuli
A tactic for promoting generalization that includes typical features of the generalization setting into the instructional setting.
156
Prompt
Supplementary antecedent stimulus used to occasion a correct response in the presence of an Sd that will eventually control the behavior.
157
Punisher
The stimulus change (presented or removed) that decreases the future frequency of behavior that immediately precedes it.
158
Punishment
A behavioral principle that occurs when a stimulus change immediately follows a response and decreases the future frequency of that type of behavior in similar conditions.
159
Range
The spread of the difference between the highest and lowest values of a given set of data or dependent variable. Expressed as the number of the highest value and the number of the lowest value of a data set.
160
Rate
The number of responses per unit of time.
161
Ratio Schedule
A reinforcement schedule that equires a number of responses before a response produces reinforcement.
162
Recovery from Punishment
The reemergence of the baseline rate of a recently punished or extinguished response.
163
Reinforcement
A behavioral principle that occurs when stimulus change immediately follows a response and increases the future frequency of that type of behavior in similar conditions.
164
Reinforcer
The stimulus change (presented or removed) that increases the future frequency of behavior that immediately precedes it.
165
Relation
The association between two or more variables; the way in which two or more concepts are connected.
166
Reliability
Consistency of measurement across different measurement opportunities.
167
Repeatability
One of the three dimensional quantities of behavior from which all behavioral measurements are derived; refers to the fact that a behavior can occur repeatedly through time; countability.
168
Replication
1) repeating conditions within an experiment to determine the reliability of effects and increase internal validity (as in one of three components to baseline logic) or 2) repeating whole experiments to determine the generality of findings of previous experiments to other subjects, settings, and/or behaviors (as an attitude of science)
169
Resistance to Extinction
Operant behavior that occurs during extinction.
170
Respondent Behavior
Behavior that is elicited by antecedent stimuli or induced by a stimulus that precedes the behavior; the response component of a reflex
171
Respondent Conditioning
A stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure in which a neutral stimulus (NS) is presented with an unconditioned stimulus (US) until the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS) that elicits the conditioned response (CR); also called classical conditioning)
172
Respondent Extinction
The repeated presentation of a conditioned stimulus (CS) in the absence of the unconditioned stimulus (US); the CS gradually loses its ability to elicit the conditioned response until the conditioned reflex no longer appears in the individual's repertoire
173
Response
A specific instance of behavior.
174
Response Class
A group of responses with the same function; each responses produces the same effect on environment.
175
Response independent schedule of reinforcement
An antecedent intervention that involves delivering a reinforcer on a time-based schedule. There is no response requirement to access reinforcement. Also referred to as non-contingent reinforcement (NCR).
176
Response Prompt
A prompt that operates directly on the response.
177
Response Topography
The physical shape or form of a behavior.
178
Risk Benefit Analysis
Deliberate evaluation of the potential risks (e.g., limitations, side effects, costs) and benefits (e.g., treatment outcomes, efficiency, savings) associated with a given intervention. A risk-benefit analysis should conclude with a course of action associated with greater benefits than risks.
179
Rule
A verbal description of a behavioral contingency.
180
S-R Relation
Reflexes; stimulus-response relations.
181
Scatterplot
Graphic display showing relative distribution of data points with respect to variables on x and y axis; data points are not connected.
182
Schedule of Reinforcement
A rule that describes the contingency of reinforcement, or which behaviors will be reinforced and which will not.
183
Schedule Thinning
Changing a contingency of reinforcement by gradually increasing the response ratio or the extent of the time interval; results in a lower rate of reinforcement per responses, time, or both.
184
Science
A systematic approach for seeking and organizing knowledge about the natural world.
185
Selectionism
The theory that all forms of life evolve as a result of selection with respect to function, or consequences.
186
Sensory Extinction
A behavior that is automatically reinforced results in masking or removing the sensory consequence.
187
Sequential modification
A strategy for promoting generalization; responding is assessed across behavior, environments and individuals. If generalization has not occurred, then additional training occurs in non-generalization conditions.
188
Shaping
The process of differentially reinforcing successive approximations toward a terminal behavior.
189
Side effects of extinction
This behavior change process may result in an initial increase in response amplitude (or force), spontaneous recovery and an initial increase in frequency (a burst).
190
Side effects of punishment
Unwanted effects of the process of punishment, including: undesirable emotional responses and aggression, escape & avoidance, and an increased rate of the problem behavior under non-punishment conditions.
191
Single Subject Design
Experimental designs in which individual serves as their own control.
192
Social Validity
An outcome achieved when the goals or results of an intervention are socially acceptable to the client.
193
Socially Significant Behavior
Behavior targeted for change that improves the quality of life for the subject or individual.
194
Speaker
A communicator who engages in verbal behavior by emitting mands, tacts, intraverbals, autoclitics, and so on. A speaker is also someone who uses sign language, gestures, signals, written words, codes, pictures, or any form of verbal behavior.
195
Spontaneous Recovery
A behavioral effect associated with extinction in which the behavior suddenly begins to occur after its frequency has decreased to its prereinforcement level or stopped entirely.
196
Steps to Conducting an FBA
1) Gather information via indirect and descriptive assessment, 2) interpret information from indirect and descriptive assessment and formulate hypotheses about the purpose of problem behavior, 3) test hypotheses using functional analysis, 4) develop intervention options based on the function of problem behavior.
197
Stimulus
A change in the environment.
198
Stimulus Class
A group of stimuli that share specified common elements along formal, temporal, and/ or functional dimensions
199
Stimulus Control
A behavioral principle; describes a relationship between an antecedent stimulus and a response when the rate, frequency, magnitude, latency, or duration of a response is altered in the presence of the stimulus; operant conditioning.
200
Stimulus delta (S-delta; SΔ)
A stimulus in the presence of which a given behavior has NOT produced reinforcement in the past; contrasted with Sd
201
Stimulus Discrimination Training
Responses are reinforced in the presence of one stimulus condition (the Sd) but not in the presence of the other stimulus (S-delta); one response, two antecedent stimulus conditions.
202
Stimulus Generalization
The tendency for similar stimuli to evoke a response when stimulus control exists.
203
Stimulus Preference Assessment
A variety of procedures used to determine the stimuli that a person prefers and the relative preference value of those stimuli to increase the odds of selecting stimuli that function as reinforcers.
204
Stimulus Prompt
A prompt that operates directly on the antecedent stimuli to cue a correct response.
205
Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing
A procedure in which two stimuli are presented at the same time, usually repeatedly for a number of trials, which often results in one stimulus acquiring the function of the other stimulus
206
Tact
An elementary verbal operant evoked by a nonverbal discriminative stimulus and followed by generalized conditioned reinforcement (SEE-SAY Response).
207
Tactic
A research-based or technologically consistent method for changing behavior that has been derived from one or more basic principles of behavior.
208
Target Behavior
The response class selected for intervention; can be defined functionally or topographically.
209
Teacher Performance Rate Accuracy (TPRA)
A method for measuring procedural integrity and inter-observer agreement. This approaches measures the three components of a learning unit and then derives a rate of student responding.
210
Technological
c
211
Temporal Extent
One of the three dimensional quantities of behavior from which all behavioral measurements are derivedRefers to the fact that every instance of behavior occurs during some amount of time.
212
Temporal Locus
One of the three dimensional quantities of behavior from which all behavioral measurements are derived; refers to the fact that every instance of behavior occurs at a certain point in time with respect to other events (when in time).
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Textual
An elementary verbal operant involving a spoken response that is evoked by a visual verbal discriminative stimulus that has point-to-point correspondence but no formal similarity between the stimulus and the response product (e.g. reading; SEE-SAY response).
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Token economy
A behavior change system consisting of three major components: 1) a specified list of target behaviors, 2) tokens or points that participants receive for emitting the target behaviors, and 3) a menu of backup reinforcer items that the tokens may be exchanged for.
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Topography
Physical form or shape of a behavior.
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Train and hope
Teaching a new behavior without developing and implementing a plan to facilitate its maintenance and generalization; not a desired tactic for promoting generalization
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Train loosely
A strategy to promote generalization where noncritical aspects of the instructional setting are randomly varied within and across teaching sessions. This approach reduces the likelihood of faulty stimulus control.
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Train sufficient exemplars
A strategy to promote generalization that consists of teaching the student to respond to a sub-set of all possible stimulus and response examples and then assessing student performance on untrained examples.
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Trend
Overall direction taken by a data path; described by direction (increasing, decreasing, or flat/zero), degree (gradual or steep) and the extent of variability of data points around the trend.
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Trial
Discrete opportunity for an occurrence of a behavior.
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Trials to Criterion
The number of response opportunities needed to achieve a pre-determined level of performance.
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Two types of intermittent schedules
ratio and interval
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Unconditioned Punisher
A stimulus whose presentation functions as a punisher without a history of having been paired with any other punishers.
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Unconditioned Reinforcer
A stimulus whose presentation functions as a reinforcer without a history of having been paired with any other reinforcers.
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Use indiscriminable contingencies
A generalization tactic in which the learner can not discriminate whether the next response will produce reinforcement. Uses intermittent reinforcement schedules & delayed rewards.
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Validity
The extent to which data obtained are directly relevant to the target behavior of interest and to reasons for measuring it.
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Value-altering effect
Alteration in the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event as a result of a motivating operation; establishing or abolishing.
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Variability
The frequency and extent to which multiple measures of behavior yield different outcomes.
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Variable Interval Schedule (VI)
A schedule of reinforcement in which reinforcement is delivered for the first response emitted following the passage of a variable duration of time since the last response was reinforced.
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Variable Ratio (VR)
A schedule of reinforcement that requires a variable number of responses to be completed before a response produces reinforcement.
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Verbal Behavior
Behavior whose reinforcement is mediated by a listener; includes both vocal-verbal behavior (e.g. saying 'water please' to get water) and nonvocal-verbal behavior (pointing to a glass of water to get water); encompasses the subject matter usually treated as language and topics such as thinking, grammar, composition, and understanding.
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Verbal Operant
The unit of analysis in a behavior analysis of verbal behavior.
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Verification
Demonstrating that a prior level of baseline responding would remain unchanged in the absence of the independent variable; one of three components to baseline logic.
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Wyatt v Stickney
Institutionalized patients have a right to effective and individualized care or else they should be released / referred elsewhere.
