RBT Generalization and Maintenance 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client learned to request a break using a card in therapy sessions but never uses this skill at school. Which generalization type is failing?
- Response generalization
- Stimulus generalization
- Maintenance
- Setting generalization (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Setting generalization
Setting (or situation) generalization refers to using a learned skill across different environments or settings.
Question 2: Which strategy involves teaching a behavior in multiple locations with multiple people to promote generalization?
- Massed practice
- Sequential modification
- General case programming (Correct answer)
- Backward chaining
Correct answer: General case programming
General case programming systematically samples the range of stimulus and response variations across all relevant teaching examples.
Question 3: A client maintains a skill for 6 months after formal training ends. This is an example of:
- Stimulus generalization
- Response generalization
- Maintenance (Correct answer)
- Extinction
Correct answer: Maintenance
Maintenance refers to the continued performance of a behavior after the formal intervention has been withdrawn.
Question 4: During naturalistic teaching, an RBT uses real-world items and settings to teach a skill. This primarily promotes:
- Acquisition speed
- Stimulus generalization (Correct answer)
- Negative reinforcement
- Error correction only
Correct answer: Stimulus generalization
Using real-world stimuli during instruction promotes stimulus generalization by training with examples similar to the natural environment.
Question 5: When a client learns to say 'I need help' not just for puzzles but also for zippers and jars, this is an example of:
- Setting generalization
- Response generalization
- Stimulus generalization (Correct answer)
- Maintenance
Correct answer: Stimulus generalization
Stimulus generalization occurs when a behavior learned in response to one stimulus also occurs in the presence of similar stimuli.
Question 6: Which reinforcement schedule is BEST for promoting maintenance of a skill after acquisition?
- Continuous reinforcement (CRF)
- Fixed ratio 1 (FR1)
- Thin variable ratio schedule (Correct answer)
- Dense fixed interval schedule
Correct answer: Thin variable ratio schedule
Thinning to a variable ratio (VR) schedule promotes resistance to extinction and supports long-term maintenance.
Question 7: A client was taught to greet adults with a handshake but bows instead when meeting elders. This demonstrates:
- Prompt dependency
- Response generalization (Correct answer)
- Stimulus control failure
- Maintenance failure
Correct answer: Response generalization
Response generalization occurs when a novel but functionally similar response emerges in the presence of a trained stimulus.
RBT Generalization and Maintenance 4
A client learned to request a break using a card in therapy sessions but never uses this skill at school.
Which generalization type is failing?