Behavior Reduction Flashcards

If a child throws tantrums in stores because his or her parent has a history of buying him or her toys after a tantrum, the tantrum is maintained by .

Answer: Social positive reinforcement

Social positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior is followed by the addition of a desirable stimulus delivered by another person, which increases the future likelihood of that behavior. In this case, the child's tantrum (behavior) is followed by the parent buying a toy (addition of a desirable stimulus, mediated by another person), which maintains the tantrum behavior in the future.

When Sandra walks into the house, she is informed that she will not be able to watch television since her father is watching a show. As a result, Sandra draws closer to her father, moaning and tugging at his limbs. Sandra's father eventually permits her to watch television. Sandra's whimpering and tugging behavior has continued for almost a month as a result of this. What kind of repercussion is most clearly occurring as a result of sandra's whining and tugging on her father?

Answer: Positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement involves the addition of a stimulus following a behavior, which results in an increase in the future probability of that behavior. Here, Sandra's whining and tugging (behavior) is followed by her father permitting her to watch television (addition of a desirable stimulus). Since her behavior has continued, access to TV is reinforcing her whining and tugging.

With a customer, Christian is gathering ABC data. Following a task requirement, the client frequently engages in physical assault. The client's grandmother frequently enters the area after the physical aggressiveness and consoles the client; yet, the grandmother guarantees that the task demand is continued. What is the potential purpose of physical aggressiveness based on this ABC data?

Answer: Attention

Based on the ABC data, the client's physical aggression (behavior) is consistently followed by the grandmother entering the area and consoling the client (consequence). Even though the task demand continues, the grandmother's interaction provides social attention. Since this attention follows the behavior and the behavior persists, the potential purpose of the physical aggressiveness is to gain attention.

Jackson is the father of a child who has been diagnosed with autism (ASD). Jacob is the name of his child. Jacob throws long, rage-filled outbursts one day. Mike grants Jacob access to the family tablet as a result. The tantrums stop after Michael receives the tablet. What is the point of Jackson handing the iPad on to Michael?

Answer: Social negative reinforcement

Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus following a behavior, which increases the likelihood of that behavior occurring again. In this scenario, Jacob's tantrums are an aversive stimulus for Mike (the father). Mike's behavior of giving Jacob the tablet results in the removal of the tantrums. Since this removal is mediated by Jacob's behavior stopping, it is social negative reinforcement for Mike's action of giving the tablet.

Maria has spent the entire day hiking in the desert and is in desperate need of a glass of water. She looks for a way to get to water. Hiking in the desert increases the reinforcing value of water, which is known as ______.

Answer: Establishing operation

An establishing operation (EO) is a motivating operation that increases the current effectiveness of a reinforcer. Hiking in the desert for an entire day creates a state of deprivation (thirst), which significantly increases the value of water as a reinforcer. This heightened value makes Maria more motivated and likely to engage in behaviors to obtain water.

Which antecedent adjustment entails modifying some component of how the learner is expected to work in order to make the assignment more appealing?

Answer: Task modification

Task modification is an antecedent intervention that involves changing aspects of a task or demand to make it less aversive or more appealing to the learner. This can include simplifying instructions, reducing the length or difficulty, or incorporating preferred elements, thereby increasing the likelihood of compliance and reducing problem behaviors.

Modifications to the preceding are made ________ the desired outcome (s)

Answer: Before

Antecedent interventions are proactive strategies implemented *before* a behavior occurs. Their purpose is to modify the environment or situation in advance to prevent problem behaviors from happening or to increase the likelihood of desired behaviors. They are not reactive responses to behavior.

An _____ operation improves the value of a stimulus and the action that has previously been associated with it.

Answer: Establishing

An establishing operation (EO) is a motivating operation that increases the current effectiveness of a reinforcer. By increasing the value of a stimulus as a reinforcer, it also increases the frequency of all behaviors that have been previously reinforced by that stimulus, making the individual more motivated to obtain it.

Which antecedent adjustment reduces motivation to participate in problem behavior(s) by offering reward "for free" on a time-based schedule?

Answer: Noncontingent reinforcement

Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) is an antecedent intervention where a reinforcer is delivered on a fixed-time or variable-time schedule, independent of the individual's behavior. By providing the reinforcer 'for free' and without requiring problem behavior, NCR aims to reduce the motivation for engaging in problem behavior to obtain that reinforcer.

What is the BCBA most visibly manipulating if the BCBA is focused on making the replacement behavior easy and/or the issue behavior difficult?

Answer: Response effort

Response effort refers to the amount of physical or mental exertion required to perform a behavior. When a BCBA focuses on making a desired replacement behavior easier to perform and/or a problem behavior more difficult, they are directly manipulating response effort. This strategy aims to increase the probability of the desired behavior by making it the path of least resistance.

Which antecedent adjustment is utilized for escape-maintained behaviors and entails reducing the amount of work a learner must complete at first, then progressively increasing it?

Answer: Demand fading

Demand fading is an antecedent intervention primarily used for behaviors maintained by escape. It involves gradually reducing the initial amount or difficulty of a demand, then progressively increasing it as the learner demonstrates compliance. This strategy helps to decrease the aversiveness of the task and prevent escape-maintained problem behaviors by slowly building tolerance.

To promote compliance, which antecedent adjustment requires supplying numerous high-probability demands before delivering a low-probability demand?

Answer: Behavioral momentum

Behavioral momentum is an antecedent intervention that involves presenting several high-probability (high-P) requests (tasks the individual is likely to comply with) in quick succession immediately before presenting a low-probability (low-P) request (a task the individual is less likely to comply with). This builds a 'momentum' of compliance, increasing the likelihood that the individual will comply with the subsequent low-P request.

You have an appointment with a client who is known for tearing hair out. What antecedent tactics might you employ?

Answer: Wearing your hair up.

Antecedent tactics are proactive strategies implemented before a behavior occurs to prevent it. If a client is known for tearing hair out, wearing your hair up (or tucking it away) removes or significantly reduces the availability of the hair as a target for the problem behavior. This environmental modification directly prevents the behavior from occurring.

Alice screams at her mother to pay attention at a loud voice. Her mother taps her to gain her attention, reinforces near approximations to low speaking volumes, and overlooks loud cries. The practice of rewarding suitable responses and depriving bad responses of reinforcement includes:

Answer: Differential reinforcement

Differential reinforcement is a procedure where one specific behavior is reinforced while other behaviors (including problem behaviors) are placed on extinction or not reinforced. In this scenario, Alice's mother is reinforcing appropriate, low-volume speaking while withholding reinforcement (attention) for loud cries, thereby increasing the desired behavior and decreasing the undesirable one.

One of your clients' families asked you to watch their children this weekend because they have travel plans. How should you reply to the family's request as an RBT?

Answer: Apologize and inform the family that it is against the RBT ethics code.

RBTs are required to maintain professional boundaries and avoid dual relationships that could impair objectivity, risk exploitation, or create conflicts of interest. Babysitting for a client's family constitutes a dual relationship (professional and personal/financial) and is explicitly prohibited by the BACB's ethical guidelines. It is crucial to politely decline and explain the ethical reason.

All of the following must be included in a session note, with the exception of:

Answer: All the above are required when writing a session note

Comprehensive and accurate session notes are essential for ethical and effective ABA practice. They must include clear, complete, and concise information about the session, including the date and time, to ensure accountability, continuity of care, and proper documentation of services provided. Therefore, all listed items are required components of a session note.