Section A: Philosophical Underpinnings

Question 1

What are the goals of behavior analysis as a science?

Answer 1

Description, prediction, and control

Question 2

What is description?

Answer 2

Through systematic observation, phenomena are quantified, classified, and examined for possible relations to known facts

Question 3

What is prediction?

Answer 3

Repeated observations leads to correlations (or lack thereof) which can be used to predict the probability of one event in the presence or absence of another

Question 4

What is control?

Answer 4

To set up an environment to intentionally “cause” an event to occur based on observations and predictions

Question 5

Describe a functional relation.

Answer 5

A specific change in one event (dependent variable) is produced by specific manipulations of another event (independent variable) and those changes cannot likely be attributed to any other factor (confounding variable)

Question 6

List the philosophical assumptions underlying behavior analysis as a science

Answer 6

Determinism, empiricism, experimentation, replication, parsimony, philosophical doubt, selectionism

Question 7

What are the additional philosophical assumptions?

Answer 7

Thoroughness, curiosity, perseverance, diligence, ethics, and honesty

Question 8

Describe determinism

Answer 8

The universe is lawful and orderly. All things happen as a result of interactions between phenomena, rather than by accident, chance, or divine planning

Question 9

Describe empiricism

Answer 9

The practice of objective observation and measurement of the phenomena of interest (validation and replication)

Question 10

Describe replication

Answer 10

Repeating of experiments, It helps determine reliability and usefulness of findings

Question 11

Describe parsimony

Answer 11

All simple explanations of a behavior be ruled out (by experimentation or conceptually) before more complex or abstract explanations are considered

Question 12

Describe philosophical doubt

Answer 12

To continually question the truthfulness of what is considered a fact; healthy skepticism

Question 13

Describe experimentation

Answer 13

Controlled comparisons of some phenomenon of interest under at least two different conditions

Question 14

Explain functional analysis

Answer 14

A method for assessing the controlling variables for problem behavior; demonstration of functional relations between environmental variables and a behavior

Question 15

Describe the difference between methodological behaviorism and radical behaviorism

Answer 15

Methodological behaviorism only supports the investigation of behaviors that are operationally defined by observable, objective measurement. Radical behaviorism includes private events (non-observable behaviors such as thoughts and feelings) behaviors that can be analyzed using the same tools as are used to analyze observable behavior.

Question 16

Describe behaviorism

Answer 16

Philosophy of the science of behavior as an objective branch directly observing relationships between environmental stimuli and behavioral responses (began with John B. Watson)

Question 17

Describe the experimental analysis of behavior

Answer 17

Scientific branch of studying behavior using basic research

Question 18

Describe applied behavior analysis

Answer 18

The use of a technology to improve social significant behavior

Question 19

Respondent behavior is:

Answer 19

reflexive behavior elicited by stimuli that immediately precede them (i.e. squinting when a bright light is turned on)

Question 20

Operant behavior is:

Answer 20

behavior shaped by consequences (reinforcement or punishment) rather than by the preceding stimulus

Question 21

Explain pragmatism

Answer 21

The truth value of a statement is a function of how well the statement promotes effective action; used to assign value to behavioral findings

Question 22

What are Baer, Wolf, and Risley’s (1968) dimensions of behavior?

Answer 22

Generality, effective, technological, analytic, conceptually systematic, applied, and behavioral

Question 23

Generality

Answer 23

A behavior lasts over time, occurs in other environments, and/or spreads to behaviors not directly included in the intervention

Question 24

Effective

Answer 24

The application of behavioral techniques must improve the behavior under investigation

Question 25

Technological

Answer 25

All procedures are identified and described with sufficient detail that another person has a fair chance of replicating the procedures with the same results

Question 26

Applied

Answer 26

Behaviors must be socially significant and improve or enhance the person’s life

Question 27

Conceptually systematic

Answer 27

Procedures for changing behavior and any interpretations of how those procedures are effective must be described in terms of the principles from which they were derived

Question 28

Analytic

Answer 28

A functional relation has been established between manipulated events and a measurable change in the target behavior

Question 29

Behavioral

Answer 29

The behavior in need of improvement, it must be measurable, changes must be to the subject’s behavior

Question 30

Selectionism is:

Answer 30

The theory that all forms of life naturally and continually evolve as a result of the interaction between function and the survival value of that function; organism adapt their behaviors according to which functions allow them the best chances of survival