Quiz 1 Flashcards
What is Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)?
A scientific approach that applies principles of learning to change socially significant behaviour.
What are the seven dimensions of ABA?
Applied, Behavioural, Analytic, Technological, Conceptually Systematic, Effective, Generality.
What is an explanatory fiction?
A hypothetical explanation for behaviour that does not truly explain the cause (e.g., ‘He behaves that way because he is stubborn’).
What is the difference between operant and respondent conditioning?
- Operant conditioning: Behaviour is shaped by consequences.
Respondent conditioning: Behaviour is elicited by antecedent stimuli (e.g., Pavlov’s dogs).
How does ABA differ from behaviour modification?
ABA is data-driven and follows scientific principles, whereas behaviour modification may use techniques without considering function.
What is a functional relationship?
A cause-and-effect relationship between a behaviour and its controlling environmental variables.
What is single-subject research design?
A method used in ABA where each subject serves as their own control to demonstrate treatment effects.
What are four common single-subject designs?
- Reversal Design (ABAB)
Multiple Baseline Design
Changing Criterion Design
Alternating Treatments Design
What is internal validity?
The extent to which a study accurately shows that the intervention caused the behaviour change.
What is external validity?
The extent to which results can be generalized to other settings, people, or behaviours.
What is reinforcement?
A process that increases the likelihood of a behaviour occurring again.
What is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement?
- Positive reinforcement: Adding a stimulus to increase behaviour.
Negative reinforcement: Removing a stimulus to increase behaviour.
What is a conditioned reinforcer?
A reinforcer that gains its effectiveness through pairing with other reinforcers (e.g., money, praise).
What is an unconditioned reinforcer?
A naturally reinforcing stimulus (e.g., food, warmth).
What is automatic reinforcement?
When a behaviour is reinforced by itself, without social mediation (e.g., thumb sucking, stimming).
What are motivating operations (MOs)?
Environmental variables that alter the effectiveness of a reinforcer and the likelihood of a behaviour.
What is an establishing operation (EO)?
An MO that increases the value of a reinforcer (e.g., food deprivation makes food more reinforcing).
What is an abolishing operation (AO)?
An MO that decreases the value of a reinforcer (e.g., being full reduces the reinforcing value of food).
What is the Premack Principle?
A high-probability behaviour can reinforce a low-probability behaviour (e.g., ‘First finish your homework, then you can play outside’).
What are reinforcement schedules?
- Continuous reinforcement (CRF): Every response is reinforced.
Fixed Ratio (FR): Reinforcement after a set number of responses.
Variable Ratio (VR): Reinforcement after a variable number of responses.
Fixed Interval (FI): Reinforcement after a set time period.
Variable Interval (VI): Reinforcement after a variable time period.
What is extinction in ABA?
The process of stopping reinforcement for a previously reinforced behaviour, leading to a decrease in that behaviour.
What is an extinction burst?
A temporary increase in behaviour before it decreases when reinforcement is removed.
What is spontaneous recovery?
The reappearance of an extinguished behaviour after some time.
What is the difference between punishment and negative reinforcement?
- Punishment decreases behaviour.
Negative reinforcement increases behaviour by removing an aversive stimulus.
What are the two types of punishment?
- Positive punishment: Adding an aversive stimulus to decrease behaviour.
Negative punishment: Removing a preferred stimulus to decrease behaviour.
What factors influence the effectiveness of punishment?
Immediacy, consistency, magnitude, and availability of alternative behaviours.
What is behavior modification?
The applied science and professional practice concerned with analyzing and modifying human behavior.
What are the key characteristics of behavior?
Actions that can be observed and measured.
Can be described and recorded.
Impacts the environment.
Is lawful and influenced by environmental events.
What is a behavioral excess?
A behavior that occurs too frequently and needs to be decreased (e.g., smoking, overeating).
What is a behavioral deficit?
A behavior that occurs too infrequently and needs to be increased (e.g., studying, exercising).
What is the difference between overt and covert behavior?
Overt behavior: Observable actions (e.g., speaking, running).
Covert behavior: Internal actions, like thinking or feeling.
What is reinforcement?
A process that strengthens a behavior, making it more likely to occur in the future.
What is positive reinforcement?
Adding a stimulus after a behavior to increase its occurrence (e.g., giving a child a sticker for completing homework).
What is negative reinforcement?
Removing an aversive stimulus to increase behavior (e.g., taking painkillers to relieve a headache).
What are conditioned and unconditioned reinforcers?
Unconditioned reinforcer: A naturally reinforcing stimulus (e.g., food, warmth).
Conditioned reinforcer: A stimulus that gains reinforcement value through learning (e.g., money, praise).
What factors influence reinforcement effectiveness?
Immediacy, contingency, magnitude, motivating operations, and individual differences.
What are the four types of intermittent reinforcement schedules?
Fixed Ratio (FR): Reinforcement after a set number of responses.
Variable Ratio (VR): Reinforcement after a varying number of responses.
Fixed Interval (FI): Reinforcement after a fixed period of time.
Variable Interval (VI): Reinforcement after a varying period of time.
What is extinction in behavior modification?
The process of stopping reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior, leading to a decrease in that behavior.
What is an extinction burst?
A temporary increase in behavior before it decreases when reinforcement is removed.
What is spontaneous recovery?
The reappearance of an extinguished behavior after a period of non-reinforcement.
What factors influence extinction?
Reinforcement schedule before extinction – Intermittent schedules make extinction harder.
Reinforcement after extinction begins – Can strengthen the behavior.
Alternative reinforcement – Providing reinforcement for an alternative behavior helps reduce the original behavior.
What is a common misconception about extinction?
That extinction is the same as ignoring a behavior. In reality, extinction means stopping the reinforcement maintaining the behavior.
