SPCE 609 SAFMEDS Spring Semester 2026 UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Antecedent An environmental condition or stimulus change that exists or occurs prior to the
behavior.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) The process of analyzing and improving socially significant behaviors through the
scientific method.
, Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB) A natural science that studies behavior by identifying functional relations between
behavior and controlling variables in the environment.
Automatic Reinforcement Reinforcement that occurs in the absence of social consequences. This
terminology is preferred over 'sensory reinforcement'.
Automatic Punishment Punishment that occurs in the absence of social consequences.
Behavioral Functions The reason a behavior occurs typically to gain attention, access to tangibles,
escape, or automatic reinforcement.
Behavior The portion of an organism's interaction with the environment that involves some
movement of the organism.
Behavior Altering Effect An increase or decrease in behavior due to the reinforcement history.
Behavioral Cusp A behavior that opens access to new environments, reinforcers, or learning
opportunities, leading to broad developmental change.
Calibration The degree to which data from a measurement system match a true value or
standard. Identified errors guide corrections to improve the system.
Celeration The change in rate of responding over time.
Concurrent Chains (Schedule) Design An experimental design in which participants have two or more response options
resulting in different treatment procedures.
Conditioned Punisher A previously neutral stimulus change that functions as a punisher due to prior
pairing with other punishers.
Conditioned Reflex A learned stimulus-response functional relation with an antecedent stimulus and
the response it elicits.
Conditioned Reinforcer A stimulus change that functions as a reinforcer due to prior pairing with other
reinforcers.
Conditioned Stimulus A neutral stimulus that becomes conditioned when paired with an unconditioned
or conditioned stimulus.
Consequence A stimulus change that follows a behavior.
Contingency Dependent and temporal relations between operant behavior and its controlling
variables.
Contingency-Shaped Behavior Behavior that is shaped through direct experience with contingencies.
Continuous Schedule of Reinforcement Reinforcing every occurrence of behavior (known as an FR1 or CRF).
Deprivation The increase in the effectiveness of a reinforcer after limited to no exposure.
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Antecedent An environmental condition or stimulus change that exists or occurs prior to the
behavior.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) The process of analyzing and improving socially significant behaviors through the
scientific method.
, Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB) A natural science that studies behavior by identifying functional relations between
behavior and controlling variables in the environment.
Automatic Reinforcement Reinforcement that occurs in the absence of social consequences. This
terminology is preferred over 'sensory reinforcement'.
Automatic Punishment Punishment that occurs in the absence of social consequences.
Behavioral Functions The reason a behavior occurs typically to gain attention, access to tangibles,
escape, or automatic reinforcement.
Behavior The portion of an organism's interaction with the environment that involves some
movement of the organism.
Behavior Altering Effect An increase or decrease in behavior due to the reinforcement history.
Behavioral Cusp A behavior that opens access to new environments, reinforcers, or learning
opportunities, leading to broad developmental change.
Calibration The degree to which data from a measurement system match a true value or
standard. Identified errors guide corrections to improve the system.
Celeration The change in rate of responding over time.
Concurrent Chains (Schedule) Design An experimental design in which participants have two or more response options
resulting in different treatment procedures.
Conditioned Punisher A previously neutral stimulus change that functions as a punisher due to prior
pairing with other punishers.
Conditioned Reflex A learned stimulus-response functional relation with an antecedent stimulus and
the response it elicits.
Conditioned Reinforcer A stimulus change that functions as a reinforcer due to prior pairing with other
reinforcers.
Conditioned Stimulus A neutral stimulus that becomes conditioned when paired with an unconditioned
or conditioned stimulus.
Consequence A stimulus change that follows a behavior.
Contingency Dependent and temporal relations between operant behavior and its controlling
variables.
Contingency-Shaped Behavior Behavior that is shaped through direct experience with contingencies.
Continuous Schedule of Reinforcement Reinforcing every occurrence of behavior (known as an FR1 or CRF).
Deprivation The increase in the effectiveness of a reinforcer after limited to no exposure.
