BCABA Stimulus Control and Antecedent Interventions 1 ā Questions and Answers
Question 1: A discriminative stimulus (SD) is best defined as a stimulus in the presence of which:
- A response has been punished and is less likely to occur
- A response has been reinforced and is therefore more likely to occur (Correct answer)
- A response has been placed on extinction
- Reinforcement is delivered on a fixed-ratio schedule
Correct answer: A response has been reinforced and is therefore more likely to occur
An SD is a stimulus in whose presence a specific response has been reinforced, increasing the probability of that response occurring.
Question 2: Which term describes a stimulus in the presence of which a response has NOT been reinforced?
- Discriminative stimulus (SD)
- Conditioned reinforcer
- S-delta (SĪ) (Correct answer)
- Unconditioned stimulus
Correct answer: S-delta (SĪ)
The S-delta (SĪ) is a stimulus in whose presence a response has not been reinforced, signaling that reinforcement is not currently available.
Question 3: Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) as an antecedent intervention is best described as:
- Delivering reinforcement only when the target behavior occurs at a high rate
- Delivering reinforcement on a time-based schedule independent of any specific behavior (Correct answer)
- Withholding reinforcement to reduce problem behavior through extinction
- Pairing a neutral stimulus with an established reinforcer to create a conditioned reinforcer
Correct answer: Delivering reinforcement on a time-based schedule independent of any specific behavior
NCR delivers a reinforcer on a fixed- or variable-time schedule regardless of behavior, serving as an antecedent strategy that reduces the motivation for problem behavior maintained by that reinforcer.
Question 4: The high-probability (high-p) request sequence antecedent intervention involves:
- Presenting the most challenging task first to build frustration tolerance
- Delivering a series of easy, well-established requests immediately before a low-probability request (Correct answer)
- Reinforcing only the most complex version of a target behavior from the start
- Using extinction for all low-probability behaviors until compliance increases
Correct answer: Delivering a series of easy, well-established requests immediately before a low-probability request
The high-p sequence presents several requests the learner reliably complies with immediately before a demand they typically refuse, using behavioral momentum to increase compliance with the low-p request.
Question 5: Stimulus generalization occurs when:
- A behavior occurs only in the presence of the exact stimulus used during training
- A behavior trained under one stimulus condition also occurs in the presence of similar untrained stimuli (Correct answer)
- A reinforcer loses its effectiveness due to repeated delivery
- Multiple behaviors are brought under the control of a single discriminative stimulus
Correct answer: A behavior trained under one stimulus condition also occurs in the presence of similar untrained stimuli
Stimulus generalization occurs when a response trained in the presence of one stimulus also occurs in the presence of other stimuli that share similar properties, without additional direct training.
Question 6: Which type of prompt involves the trainer physically guiding the learner through the correct response?
- Gestural prompt
- Model prompt
- Physical prompt (Correct answer)
- Positional prompt
Correct answer: Physical prompt
A physical prompt involves the trainer directly guiding the learner's body through the correct response and is considered the most intrusive type of response prompt.
Question 7: Stimulus discrimination training establishes stimulus control by:
- Reinforcing a response in the presence of the SD and placing it on extinction in the presence of the SĪ (Correct answer)
- Reinforcing a response in all stimulus conditions to maximize generalization
- Using punishment to suppress responses that occur during SĪ presentations
- Delivering reinforcement at random intervals regardless of which stimulus is present
Correct answer: Reinforcing a response in the presence of the SD and placing it on extinction in the presence of the SĪ
Stimulus discrimination training differentially reinforces a response when the SD is present while extinguishing the same response when the SĪ is present, establishing precise stimulus control.
BCABA Stimulus Control and Antecedent Interventions 1
A discriminative stimulus (SD) is best defined as a stimulus in the presence of which: