BCBA test prep Flashcards
The level of investigation that demonstrates correlation between events and is based on repeated observations is:
Prediction.
Prediction is the level of investigation in science in which correlations can be demonstrated or when one event occurs, another event is likely to occur or not occur. Prediction also enables preparation.
The level of investigation in which functional relations can be derived is:
control.Control is the only level of investigation in science that provides an understanding of functional relations. Control is considered the highest level of scientific understanding for this reason.
This is the approach to understanding behavior that assumes that a mental or “inner” dimension exists that differs from a behavioral dimension and that phenomena in this dimension either directly cause or at least mediate some forms of behavior.
Mentalism is the approach that attributes behavior to “inner” causes that cannot be either observed or measured in any way.
This is the defining characteristic of applied behavior analysis that demonstrates experimental control over the occurrence and non-occurrence of the behavior.
Analytic is the defining characteristic of applied behavior analysis that demonstrates experimental control over the occurrence and non-occurrence of the behavior, or a functional relation.
A behavior that occurs more frequently under some antecedent conditions than it does in others is called
Discriminated operant. Reinforcement selects not just certain forms of behavior, it also selects environmental conditions that it in the future will evoke (increase) of the response class.
The term “contingent” as used in bx analysis refers to the dependent relationship of a particular consequence on the occurrence of bx and is also used in reference to the ______ contiguity of bx and its consequences
Temporal “only important property of contingency is temporal” bx is selected by consequences that immediately follow it, irrespective of whether those consequences were produced or depended upon the behavior.
All of the following are competencies of a behavior analyst except:
Ability to conduct statistical analyses of data
include knowledge of what constitutes socially important behavior, technical skills to use appropriate assessment methods and/or instruments, ability to match assessment data with an intervention strategy, or ability to understand the context of behavior and role of controlling variables.
Interview questions should avoid “why” questions because these tend to encourage _______ explanations of behavior.
Mentalistic.
Clients are unlikely to know why they engage in problem behavior and “why” questions usually evoke mentalistic explanations related to motivation or uninformative explanations.
In determining the likelihood of success in changing a behavior, all of the following should be considered except:
Social validity of behavior.
Four sources of information on the likelihood of success are the research literature on changing this behavior, the experience of the practitioner with the target behavior, the ability to control variables in the environments, and the available resources for implementing and maintaining the intervention.
Explicit behavior definitions are important in research of applied behavior analysis for all of the following except:
Agreement between assessment and intervention data
It is important for behavior definitions to be defined explicitly so that other behavior analysts can replicate your work, in order to achieve accurate and reliable measurement, and to compare data across studies. However, explicit behavior definitions are not relevant to agreement between assessment and intervention data. Typically, these data do not agree because the purpose of intervention is to change the behavior.
Outcome criteria should be established before intervention commences for all of the following reasons except:
To ensure accurate data collection
Target behaviors are selected for intervention because of their importance to the people involved. Therefore, it is important to set outcome criteria to establish the desired performance level and to ensure there is agreement among stakeholders on these desired outcomes. When these outcomes are determined, then it will be clear when intervention can be terminated. Determining outcomes is not relevant to accurate data collection.
An example of a motivating operation is:
Hunger, fighting with someone, getting a ticket, or all.
All of these
Motivating operations alter the current value of stimuli as reinforcers. All of the above could be things that alter the value of stimuli as reinforcers. For example, if one is hungry, food will have more value as a reinforcer than if one is not hungry.
Which of the following is not an appropriate way to identify potential reinforcers?
Pick a stimulus that is reinforcing for someone else
Just because a stimulus is reinforcing to one person does not mean it will be reinforcing for another person. Reinforcers are highly idiosyncratic.
What information does a concurrent schedule reinforcer assessment provide?
Whether or not a stimulus functions as a reinforcer and how effective that stimulus is as a reinforcer compared to other stimuli
The first two choices are what preference assessments tell us. Only the third option is what a reinforcer assessment tells us. A concurrent schedule reinforcer assessment also tells us how “reinforcing” a stimulus is, relative to other stimuli.
Which schedule reinforcer assessment consists of two or more component schedules of reinforcement for a single response with only one component schedule in effect at any given time?
Multiple
In a progressive ratio reinforcement schedule the response requirements for reinforcement are increased systematically over time independent of the individual’s behavior. Multiple schedules of reinforcement consist of two or more component schedules of reinforcement for a single response with only one component schedule in effect at a given time. A mixed schedule of reinforcement is a compound schedule of reinforcement that consists of two or more basic schedules of reinforcement that occur in an alternating sequence. A concurrent schedule of reinforcement is in place when two or more contingencies of reinforcement operate independently and simultaneously for two or more behaviors.
