Domain C: Core Principles of ABA

Question 1

Four Term Contingency

Answer 1

Motivating Operation (MO) –> Antecedent –> Behavior –> Consequence

OR

MO–> SD–> Response –> Reinforcement

Question 2

Responded Behavior

Answer 2

● Respondent Behavior (THINK PAVLOV)
○ Typically reflexes that happen naturally to help us seek primary reinforcers and avoid things that could be harmful
○ These are behaviors we are born doing; They do not require learning
○ EXAMPLES: jumping at loud noises, blinking when eyes are dry or there is something in your eye, pulling your hand back quickly when you touch something hot, salivating at the sight or smell of food, etc.

Question 3

Operant Behavior

Answer 3

● Operant Behavior (THINK SKINNER)
○ Behavior that is learned via a history of consequences
○ You do more of these behaviors when they are followed by good things, and less of them when they are followed by bad things
○ Examples: Solving math problems, riding a bike, sharing toys, greeting others, etc.

Question 4

Discriminative Stimulus (SD)

Answer 4

The presence of a stimulus that signifies reinforcement is available. Responding in the presence of the stimulus produces reinforcement.

Question 5

S-Delta

Answer 5

Responding when the SD is not present; does not yield reinforcement.

Question 6

SD-P

Answer 6

The presence of a stimulus that decreases the occurrence of a response class due to the delivery of response-contingent punishment. Signifies punishment is available.

Question 7

Stimulus Control

Answer 7

A behavior that occurs at a higher frequency in the presence of a stimulus than it does in the absence of that stimulus.

Question 8

Generalization

Answer 8

The behavior lasts over time, occurs in environments other than the one it was initially taught in, and spreads to other behaviors similar to the target behavior.

Question 9

Discrimination

Answer 9

The ability to distinguish between a stimulus and similar stimuli. Responding to certain stimuli and not those that are similar.

Question 10

Motivating Operations (e.g., satiation, deprivation)

Establishing Operation (EO)

Abolishing Operation (AO)

Answer 10

Motivating Operations are environmental variables that have two effects on behavior: value-altering effect, and behavior-altering effect.

Establishing Operation(EO)-
Increases the effectiveness of a reinforcer-
Deprivation increases the want, or value of a particular reinforcer.

Abolishing Operation(AO)
-decreases the effectiveness of a reinforcer.
-Satiation decreases the want, or value of a reinforcer.

Question 11

Dead Man’s Test

Answer 11

“If a dead man can do it, it ain’t behavior. And if a dead man can’t do it, then it is behavior”.

-Behavior is movement.
-Only living organisms can engage in behavior.

Question 12

Reinforcement

Positive Reinforcement

Negative Reinforcement

Answer 12

Reinforcement
-Delivered almost immediately following a response (3-5 seconds).
-Increases the future frequency of responding in similar conditions.

Positive Reinforcement
-Immediately following a behavior, a stimulus is presented that increases future responding.

Negative Reinforcement
-Frequency of behavior increases due to removal or termination of a stimulus.
-Aka “aversive stimulus” per Skinner.

Question 13

Punishment

Positive Punishment

Negative Punishment

Answer 13

Punishment
-Response is followed by a stimulus that decreases the future frequency of that response in similar conditions.

Positive Punishment
-A stimulus is presented following a behavior that decreases future occurrences of that behavior in similar conditions.

Negative Punishment
-A stimulus is removed or terminated following a behavior that decreases future occurrences of that behavior in similar conditions.

Question 14

Matching law (e.g., rate, magnitude)

Answer 14

-Rate of responding is proportional to the rate or reinforcement.

“Behavior goes where reinforcement flows”.

Question 15

Conditioned vs, unconditioned reinforcers/punishers

Answer 15

● Primary reinforcers are innate, unconditioned, or unlearned
○ Born knowing that these things are good
○ Water, Sleep, Temperature, Shelter, Pleasure, etc.
○ Associated most with Pavlov

● Secondary reinforcers are conditioned or learned
○ Need to learn through pairing that these things are good
○ Toys, tokens, money, etc.
○ Associated most with Skinner

● Different forms of reinforcers
○ Edibles (food), Tangibles (toys), Activities/Outings (going to the park) , Social (high fives)

Question 16

Basic Schedules of Reinforcement:

Fixed Ratio

Variable Ratio

Fixed Interval

Variable Interval

Answer 16

Fixed Ratio (FR): A specific, predetermined number of responses is required to produce reinforcement.

Variable Ratio (VR): A variable, or average number of responses must be made to produce reinforcement.

Fixed Interval (FI): The first response following a specific, predetermined amount of time produces reinforcement.

Variable Interval (VI):Reinforcement is available after the elapse of a variable (average) amount of time.

Question 17

6 Attitudes of Science

Answer 17

Empiricism
-objective observation.
-Objectivity: independent of prejudices, taste, private opinions, preconceived notions, etc.
-objective results= open to anyone’s observation, do not rely on subjective individual beliefs.
-precise description, systematic and repeated measurement.
-ABA is predicated on empiricism/objectivity.
-Analyst’s must define, systematically observe, and accurately measure occurrences and non-occurrences of behavior.

Determinism
-Behavior is lawful.
-events are systematically related to other factors.
-factors are physical and observable (I.e., they can be examined).
-behavior occurs as a result of specific conditions, once these conditions have been identified we may then anticipate, or determine responses.
-functional relations.
-events do not occur by accident, without a cause (accidentalism)
-events are not predetermined (fatalism).

Experimentation
-used to identify functional relations.
-systematically control and manipulate variables (I.V.) and monitor changes in the phenomena of interest (D.V.)across conditions (e.g., control vs. Intervention)

Replication
-”the repeating of experiments”
-once an experiment has been repeated a number of times and the same patterns or results are yielded, the findings are supported.
-determines reliability and usefulness, discovers mistakes.

Parsimony
-all simple, logical explanations should first be ruled out before more complex explanations are considered.
-simplest explanation that contains the fewest assumptions.

Philosophic Doubt
-continuously question what is regarded as fact.
-adopt knowledge from new discoveries that may displace previous findings.
-healthy skepticism
-continue to monitor the effectiveness of a practice once it has been implemented.

Question 18

7 Dimensions of ABA

Answer 18

Applied
-ABA is committed to targeting behaviors for change that improve and enhance other people’s lives.
-socially significant: behaviors that improve the participant’s life and affect the lives of others around them in a way that they behave more positively toward the participant.
-examples: social, language, daily living skills, self-care, vocational leisure.

Analytic
-When a functional relation between the manipulated events and a reliable change in some measurable dimension of the target behavior is observed.
-experimenter can control the occurrence and nonoccurrence of behavior.
-Demonstrates effectiveness of interventions on socially significant outcomes.

Technological
-provides detail and clarity of procedures being implemented.
-another individual should be able to implement the strategy, interventions, etc.,without having to ask any questions for clarity, or missing any critical steps. If these errors occur, the practitioner needs to improve their procedures so that they fit the technological requirement.

Conceptually Systematic
-All procedures used for changing behavior should be described by stating the relevant principles in which they were derived from.
-relating the procedure to the specific principle may help researchers create additional procedures from that same principle.

Effective
-improves the behavior to a practical degree.
-Altering behavior enough to be socially important is the goal.
-statistical significance does not equal social significance.
-how much change is needed to be socially significant? Ask the stakeholders (caregivers, significant others).
-importance of “robust variables that create large and consistent behavior changes.

Generality
-behavior change lasts over time, appears in environments other than the one it was originally taught in, and creates change in other related behaviors not specifically targeted by the intervention.