_________ conditioning deals with behaviors that are voluntary rather than reflexive.
a. Operant
b. Respondent
c. Reflexive
d. Overactive
Discuss how Skinner’s distinguishing of operant from respondent conditioning impacted
the study of applied behavior analysis.
As a behaviorist working in a school of teachers who believe very strongly in
developmental theory, how would you convince them that a behavioral approach may
be more appropriate for some of their students?
Based on the criteria set forth by the usefulness explanation of human behavior
(inclusiveness, verifiability, predictive utility, and parsimony) compare and contrast
behaviorism with one of the following proposed explanations of human behavior:
biophysical, developmental, or cognitive.
Define and differentiate between positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and
punishment. Give an example of each.
List and discuss the contributions put forth by three behaviorists and explain how their
contributions furthered the field of behaviorism.
Discuss the possible conflict(s) between the philosophy of full inclusion and the ethical
use of applied behavior analysis procedures.
Differentiate between informed consent and voluntary consent
For students with disabilities, IDEA requires that students receive services in the least
restrictive environment (LRE). What is meant by least restrictive environment? Explain
how LRE fits into a therapeutic environment.
Agree or disagree with the following statement, “Carr (1996) suggested that we modify
our language even more drastically when addressing the general public, including
parents and educators who are not behavior analysis” (p. 388). Provide examples to
support your viewpoint.
Compare and contrast Bloom’s taxonomy with the four levels of learning (acquisition,
fluency, maintenance, generalization).
Describe the importance of operationally defining the target behavior. Write an
operational definition for off-task behavior.
Write a behavioral objective including the four components of a behavioral objective.
Describe the importance of each component in writing an effective objective.
You are the supervisor to the special education teachers in your school district. Most of
your teachers either do not collect data or do so inaccurately. Describe how you would
prepare your teachers to regularly collect accurate data on the students they serve.
Discuss the rationale you would provide to teachers.
Compare and contrast duration and latency data collection methods. Provide an
example using both systems of data collection include an example of a data sheet with
key components.
You are a lead teacher and several of the teachers you supervise have concerns about
the frequency with which they should collect student data. Discuss how often data
should be collected and what patterns, if any, the teachers should look for in the data?
Interobserver agreement provides a measurement of reliability in the recording of data
being collected. Discuss the biases that can affect interobserver agreement.
A kindergarten teacher wants to collect data on a new behavior modification program to
reduce out-of-seat behavior throughout the school day for three students in her class.
Which data collection system would you recommend she use and why? Contrast the
benefits of the system you recommended against two other systems of data collection.
A histogram is a form of:
a. line graph
b. cumulative graph
c. bar graph
d. none of the above
Discuss the benefits of graphing data when communicating with other teachers, parents
and students.
Create two scenarios, one for which you want to increase a behavior and one for which
you want to decrease a behavior. Define the behavior and describe which data
collection system you would use to measure change in behavior. Create a data
collection sheet that supports the data collection system you selected and put in sample
data. Graph the data from the data collection sheet you created. Be sure to include all
components of a basic line graph.
Compare and contrast each of the following experimental designs in relation to
establishing a function relationship: reversal design, multiple baseline design, and
changing criterion design.
Using visual analysis analyze the data for the following two graphs (a and b). Identify
the design used and discuss the effectiveness of the intervention using visual analysis
for graphs A and B. Has a functional relation been established in each graph? Why or
why not?
Compare and contrast action research and experimental research.
A student engages in several inappropriate and destructive behaviors. Discuss the
procedures a teacher might initiate to identify the functions of these behaviors.
Describe the difference between functional assessment and functional analysis. List and
discuss the components of each.
Explain and give examples of the three-tier model of the Positive Behavioral Supports
program.
Compare and contrast functional analysis and a brief functional analysis. Which
provides the most precise data?
A teacher cannot state with certainty in advance what will or will not be a positive
reinforcer for a particular student. Explain.
Reinforcer sampling must be systematic. Describe a method of reinforcer sampling for
students with severe disabilities.
Discuss the process of thinning a reinforcement schedule. Explain when a teacher
should use a dense versus sparse schedule of reinforcement.
Explain the concept of contracting, discuss the advantages associated with contracting
Which is considered the least intrusive strategy for reducing behavior?
a. Sam is sent to the corner to “think about his inappropriate behavior” for 5 minutes.
b. Jerry is taught to point to a picture to tell his teacher he is hungry instead of pushing
materials off of his desk.
c. Sherri loses her free time for not turning in her homework
d. Melissa is required to clean all of the desks in the classroom after writing on her own
desk.
Discuss some of the guidelines for using aversive stimuli. What ethical considerations
must be made before aversives should be used?
Differentiate between nonexlusionary and exclusionary time-out. Provide examples of
each form of time-out.
Your colleague has a student who exhibits aberrant behaviors. The teacher believes the
only way to reduce the behaviors are through the use of aversives. Discuss three
procedures that can be used to reduce aberrant behaviors in place of aversive stimuli
The most effective method to teach a child to respond appropriately is to focus on a
single salient feature of a stimulus.
Compare and contrast antecedent and response prompts.
Select a behavioral chain and create a task analysis. Select an instructional procedure to
teach the chain with a written sequence for using the procedure. Provide a rationale for
the instructional procedure selected.
Discuss the guidelines for providing an effective prompt.
Response generalization refers to unprogrammed changes in similar behaviors when a
target behavior is modified.
Unplanned generalization can never occur.
Behaviors that result in increased peer reinforcement are less likely to be maintained in
the natural environment.
“Training sufficient exemplars” is another way of saying that a teacher uses many
examples when teaching a student to perform a particular skill.
General case programming promotes generalization by programming common stimuli.
An effective approach to using sufficient exemplars is to train the target behavior in
several settings or with several different trainers.
Teachers are most effective when they follow a controlled, consistent, and standardized
format for promoting generalization.
Compare and contrast two strategies for training generalization. Describe how these
might be used.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for teaching generalization when students are
fully served in general education classroom settings.
Your school system has recently undergone budget cuts and therefore off campus trips
have been reduced to only one trip per year. Parents are concerned that their students
will not be able to work on generalization of skills to community settings. During this
budget crisis discuss ways that you can program for generalization within the school
setting.
Discuss four ways in which one can facilitate transfer of behaviors to reinforcement
contingencies in the natural environment.
Jeff, a high school student who experiences a motor disability, is frequently
unorganized with is work and is always late for class, even when provided extra time
and support when changing classes. Discuss how a teacher might use self-management
techniques to teach Jeff better organizational skills and increasing his punctuality.
Discuss how a teacher might incorporate video and audio recording to teach
self-management skills.
Typical students are always appropriate models for students with disabilities.
Interval recording allows an investigator to analyze written reports.
Graduated guidance is a form of least-to-most prompts.
Even inaccurate self-recording may result in a student’s positive behavior change.
A teacher’s attention is usually the MOST readily available and potent reinforcer in a
classroom.
Bill will increase his skills in basketball by 50% for 3 weeks.
John Watson first distinguished operant from respondent conditioning.
Primary reinforcers are almost always effective.
Fading is the gradual removal of prompts.
Behavioral objectives improve communication among professionals.
Procedures tell students how they should behave.
Classroom rules should be specific and clearly established.
Punishment may be defined as applying an aversive stimulus following an inappropriate
behavior that results in a decrease in behavior.
The method of data collection that provides the most accurate record of how long a
behavior occurs is duration recording.
An example of a punishment procedure which removes desirable stimuli is response
cost.
Anecdotal reports can enable teachers to determine what factors in the classroom are
occasioning or maintaining appropriate and inappropriate behaviors.
Duration recording is primarily concerned with how long it takes a student to begin
performing a behavior once its performance has been requested.
Line graphs are also known as histograms.
Research has shown that when positive reinforcement is used, intrinsic motivation is
decreased.
At times a programmed change in a target behavior will result in a change in a similar
response class of behaviors.
A punisher can be identified ONLY by its effect of behavior.
A ringing telephone is an example of an antecedent stimulus.
Self recording can always be assumed to have reinforcing qualities.
Behavior rating scales are instruments designed to obtain more qualitative information
from informants.
A logical extension of programming common stimuli is community-based instruction.
Jack dislikes math. He throws his pencil across the room and is sent to the principal’s
office. This consequence allows him to escape math. Jack is positively reinforced for
throwing his pencil.
A trend in data is defined as five data points in an obvious direction.
Joe will write in cursive handwriting, 20 fourth grade spelling words from dictation by
the resource teacher, with no more than two errors for 3 consecutive weeks.
Functional assessment is a strategy of manipulating the student’s environment and
observing the effect on his or her behavior.
Gestalt psychology emphasizes that learning is a process of imposing structure on
perceived information.
After eating his dinner, Jerome will take his plate to the kitchen sink with no more than
one verbal reminder 4 out of 5 days per week for four weeks.
The physical arrangement of the classroom should clearly delineate work and play
areas.
Consent that ensures voluntary participation in behavior change programs must be both
voluntary and considered socially valid.
Generalized reinforcers are less susceptible to satiation.
Setting events refer to the climate within which the behavior and the contingency occur.
Scenario: Ms. Harper wants to increase John’s behavior of sharing during circle time.
Each time Ms. Harper observes John sharing she provides him with a token and his
behavior increased.
Ms. Harper provided a token as a reinforcer for John’s behavior. The token was what
type of reinforcer?
a. primary
b. secondary
c. sensory
d. none of the above
To write effective objectives, the applied behavior analyst must
a. Broadly identify a target behavior for instruction
b. Define the instructional procedures to use for behavior change
c. Refine broad generalizations into specific, observable, measurable objectives
d. b & c only
Successful approaches to controlling reinforcing consequences delivered by peers
include:
a. reinforcing peers for withholding attention
b. training high status peers in reinforcing appropriate behaviors
c. attending to peer being aggressed while ignoring aggressor
d. all of the above
“Jack can”t learn because he has Down syndrome” is an example of what explanation of
behavior?
a. biophysical explanation
b. developmental explanation
c. cognitive explanation
d. behavioral explanation
To establish effective instructional practices the following should be present:
a. clear lesson plans
b. brisk instruction
c. engaging teacher characteristics
d. all of the above
Ms. Lee wants to increase the amount of time her kindergarten students remain on task.
What recording system would be most appropriate for Ms. Lee to use?
a. Latency recording
b. Duration recording
c. Interval recording
d. Event recording
Fractionation is used to evaluate performance change when using:
a. a reversal design
b. a multiple baseline design
c. a changing conditions design
d. an alternating treatments design
In science lab, students are provided with a list of questions to answer as well as a
detailed lab manual outlining the step-by-step experimental procedures to be completed.
In this class, what self-management procedure is the teacher using?
a. Self-monitoring
b. Self-evaluation
c. Self-instruction
d. Self-reinforcement
An optimum number of overlearning opportunities is approximately _____% of the
number of trials required for acquisition of the behavior.
a. 50%
b. 25%
c. 33%
d. 75%
When teaching students to generalize, this procedure provides that the teacher
delivers reinforcement only for responses that are different from previous responses to
the cue.
a. stimulus generalization
b. lag schedule of reinforcement
c. differential reinforcement
d. response generalization
Primary reinforcers include all of the following EXCEPT:
a. juice
b. stickers
c. raisins
d. cookies
Duration data are collected:
a. from the time the teacher gives a performance direction until the student begins to
perform the response
b. from the time the student begins the response until he or she completes the response
c. from the time the teacher gives a performance direction until the student completes
the response
d. none of the above
Which of the following is NOT considered a secondary reinforcer?
a. paycheck
b. a gold star
c. verbal praise
d. a nap
The behavior principle that describes a relationship between behavior and an antecedent
stimulus rather than behavior and its consequences are known as:
a. Stimulus control
b. Respondent conditioning
c. The Law of Effect
d. Principle of Parsimony
Which procedure is NOT necessarily the best to use for promoting generalization?
a. Delaying the delivery of reinforcers
b. Intermittent reinforcement
c. Use of a thin schedule of reinforcement
d. A continuous schedule of reinforcement
At the initiation of an extinction procedure one should expect the behavior will:
a. decrease
b. increase
c. remain stable
d. disappear
Facilitation of transfer and maintenance of behaviors to reinforcement contingencies in
the natural environment may be facilitated by:
a. training students to avoid interfering reinforcers available
b. avoiding behaviors that are subject to trapping
c. teaching students to recognize reinforcement when given
d. training in a single natural environment
Scenario: Ms. Tammy’s self-contained class was working on a hygiene regiment,
including brushing teeth. Three of the five students required significant instructions for
brushing teeth. Ms. Tammy created a step-by-step breakdown of the procedures and
decided to start off providing physical guidance and gradually reduce the prompt level.
The step by step breakdown of brushing teeth is an example of:
a. task analysis
b. s-delta
c. setting event
d. permanent product
When drawing a graph, the axes is drawn in a ratio of:
a. 1:3
b. 1:1
c. 2:4
d. 2:3
The design of choice when the teacher is interested in applying an intervention
procedure to more than one individual, setting, or behavior is the:
a. multiple baseline design
b. alternating treatment design
c. reversal design
d. changing criterion design
____________ is the ability to perform a behavior under conditions different from those
in place during acquisition.
a. Generalization
b. Fluency
c. Overlearning
d. Distributed Practice
The primary purpose of scatter plot assessment is to:
a. determine the cause of behaviors that occur in bursts
b. present data in an easily readable format
c. specifically identify potential controlling variables
d. identify time related patterns of behavior
_______________ is important when we are concerned not with the number of times a
student engages in it, but how long.
a. Duration
b. Latency
c. Rate
d. Topography
Which of the following is NOT considered to be an observational recording system?
a. Anecdotal recording
b. Event recording
c. Duration recording
d. Latency recording
Thinning a schedule of reinforcement should result in all of the following EXCEPT:
a. lower, more variable levels of responding
b. decreasing expectation of reinforcement
c. removal of teacher as a necessary behavior monitor
d. maintenance of the behavior over longer periods of time
The primary reason to behave ethically is to:
a. act within the law
b. act consistently with what one believes is right
c. act in a professional manner
d. all of the above
The intervention being used to facilitate a behavior change is known as
a. Dependent variable
b. Independent variable
c. Confounding variable
d. Intervention variable
_______________ refers to the magnitude and direction of the change in data from the
end of one phase to the beginning of the next phase.
a. Change in mean
b. Level of performance
c. Trend in performance
d. Percentage of overlap
Rate and/or frequency of a behavior may be determined through
a. Interval recording
b. Event recording
c. Latency recording
d. Time Sampling recording
Miss Curry records some initial data (without interceding) on the number of times Rico
uses inappropriate language in her class. This data condition is known as:
a. Performance
b. Baseline
c. Interval
d. Intervention
A contract should NOT:
a. reinforce small approximations
b. reinforce the performance after it occurs
c. be stated negatively: “if you do not…, then I will…”
d. reinforce frequently with small amounts
A teacher who counts the number of times a student raises her hand is using what type
of recording system?
a. Event recording
b. Interval recording
c. Latency recording
d. Time Sampling recording
The behavioral dimension determined when you measure the length of time between
instructions to perform it and the occurrence of the behavior is known as:
a. Latency
a. Duration
c. Frequency
d. Rate
The measurement of a behavior before intervention begins is called:
a. preliminary data
b. variable data
c. baseline data
d. confounding data
List the two primary reasons attributed to the success of self recording procedures in
assisting behavior change.
Circumstances which temporarily alter the power of a reinforcer are known as
_________.
a. models
b. negative reinforcers
c. setting events
d. positive reinforcers
Briefly describe how trapping is used to promote generalization.
Define and give a rationale for social validity.
Define positive practice overcorrection and give an example.
John was scheduled to take a spelling test each Friday. His mother told him if he
received 90% correct or better for three out of four spelling test he would get to buy a
new video game. His mother was employing which of the following behavioral
techniques?
a. punishment
b. negative reinforcement
c. shaping
d. positive reinforcement
Describe the purpose of baseline measures.
During the third grade, John learned his multiplication facts. Upon returning to school
after the summer break, his fourth grade teacher tested his ability to recite his
multiplication facts. John’s fourth grade teacher was assessing which skill level?
a. Maintenance
b. Generalization
c. Fluency
d. Overlearning
Define noncontingent reinforcement and list the disadvantages of this behavior
reduction strategy.
What is meant by extinguishing a behavior?
Describe the use of scatter plot assessment in determining the function of behaviors.
You are a veteran teacher who has been assigned to mentor a first year teacher at your
school. The teacher has novel ideas concern the set up the classroom. Explain to her the
importance of classroom structure in establishing and maintaining stimulus control.
Discuss the importance of physical arrangement, time structure, and verbal structure.
Which of the following is NOT one of Bloom’s levels of learning?
a. analysis
b. generalization
c. synthesis
d. comprehension
Select three behaviors and describe the topography of each.
All of the following are reasons for identifying the target behavior in the behavioral
objective EXCEPT:
a. consistency in behavior observation
b. required by law
c. facilitates continuity of instruction
d. confirmation by a third party
Pose a question for which you would select an alternating treatments design to
determine the answer.