ABA Principles and Concepts Flashcards

Which term describes a stimulus that increases the probability of a behavior when presented after that behavior?

Answer: Positive reinforcer

A positive reinforcer is any stimulus whose presentation following a behavior increases or maintains the future frequency of that behavior.

What is the term for removing an aversive stimulus following a behavior to increase its future frequency?

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.

According to Skinner, which type of behavior is elicited by antecedent stimuli and not affected by consequences?

Answer: Respondent behavior

Respondent (or Pavlovian) behavior is reflexively elicited by antecedent stimuli and is controlled by its antecedents rather than its consequences.

What is the three-term contingency in ABA also known as?

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.

Which concept describes any environmental event or condition that alters the effectiveness of a stimulus as a reinforcer or punisher?

Answer: Establishing operation

An establishing operation (a type of motivating operation) temporarily changes the reinforcing or punishing effectiveness of a stimulus.

What term describes the process by which a neutral stimulus acquires reinforcing properties by being paired with an existing reinforcer?

Answer: Conditioned reinforcement

Conditioned (secondary) reinforcement occurs when a previously neutral stimulus becomes reinforcing through repeated pairing with an unconditioned or already conditioned reinforcer.