BACB ABA Principles and Concepts 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which term describes a stimulus that increases the probability of a behavior when presented after that behavior?
- Positive reinforcer (Correct answer)
- Negative reinforcer
- Punisher
- Discriminative stimulus
Correct answer: Positive reinforcer
A positive reinforcer is any stimulus whose presentation following a behavior increases or maintains the future frequency of that behavior.
Question 2: What is the term for removing an aversive stimulus following a behavior to increase its future frequency?
- Positive punishment
- Negative punishment
- Positive reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Negative reinforcement
Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus contingent on a behavior, which increases or maintains that behavior's future frequency.
Question 3: According to Skinner, which type of behavior is elicited by antecedent stimuli and not affected by consequences?
- Operant behavior
- Respondent behavior (Correct answer)
- Verbal behavior
- Molar behavior
Correct answer: Respondent behavior
Respondent (or Pavlovian) behavior is reflexively elicited by antecedent stimuli and is controlled by its antecedents rather than its consequences.
Question 4: What is the three-term contingency in ABA also known as?
- S-R chain
- A-B-C contingency (Correct answer)
- Motivating operation chain
- Stimulus-response-stimulus
Correct answer: A-B-C contingency
The three-term contingency is the Antecedent–Behavior–Consequence (A-B-C) relationship that defines how behavior is influenced by its context and outcomes.
Question 5: Which concept describes any environmental event or condition that alters the effectiveness of a stimulus as a reinforcer or punisher?
- Establishing operation (Correct answer)
- Discriminative stimulus
- Conditioned stimulus
- Response generalization
Correct answer: Establishing operation
An establishing operation (a type of motivating operation) temporarily changes the reinforcing or punishing effectiveness of a stimulus.
Question 6: What term describes the process by which a neutral stimulus acquires reinforcing properties by being paired with an existing reinforcer?
- Stimulus generalization
- Conditioned reinforcement (Correct answer)
- Shaping
- Chaining
Correct answer: Conditioned reinforcement
Conditioned (secondary) reinforcement occurs when a previously neutral stimulus becomes reinforcing through repeated pairing with an unconditioned or already conditioned reinforcer.
BACB ABA Principles and Concepts 1
Which term describes a stimulus that increases the probability of a behavior when presented after that behavior?