BACB Exam Review Questions &
Answers
Arbitrary Stimulus Class - ANSWERSAn arbitrary response class contains stimuli that evoke the
same response but do not share a common physical feature. The women's restroom signs are all
different in their physical features: one contains an English word, one contains the universal
symbol for women, and the other is a stylized female. The other examples are all feature
stimulus classes, in that they share common physical forms.
Stimulus Discrimination - ANSWERSreinforcing reponses in the presence of the discriminative
stimulus and withholding reinforcement in the presence of the stimulus deltas
Stimulus discrimination involves the behavior principles of - ANSWERSreinforcement and
extinction
response prompt - ANSWERSoperates directly on the response
stimulus prompt - ANSWERSoperates on the antecedent task stimuli
stimulus equivalence - ANSWERSProvides a methodology for efficient teaching-expanding
learners' skills far beyond what is directly taught. - Stimulus equivalence should probably be the
goal of all instruction. That is, if we can teach learners a few related stimulus-stimulus relations
(not stimulus-response relations) and learners can put those together to broaden their learning
well beyond that of what was directly taught, then this is a very efficient form of teaching and
should be viewed as the "big prize" of education. This procedure has been studied in many
areas of complex verbal relations, including reading, language arts, and math. It is hardly a
"theoretical construct that has not been studied much."
,Stimulus Control - ANSWERSOccurs when the rate, latency, duration or amplitude of a response
is altered in the presence of an antecedent stimulus
EX: stop sign, green light, red light
Stimulus Generalization - ANSWERSOccurs with stimuli that share similar physical properties
with the controlling antecedent stimulus.
Arbitrary Stimulus Class - ANSWERSEvokes the same response, but they do not share a common
stimulus feature.
EX: 50%, 1/2, .50
Matching to Sample - ANSWERSArbitrary stimulus class training procedures to create stimulus
equivalence among arbitrary stimuli
Stimulus Equivalence - ANSWERSEmergence of accurate responding to untrained and non-
reinforced stimulus-stimulus relations following the reinforcement of responses to some
stimulus-stimulus relations
Reflexivity, symmetry, transitivity
Reflexivity - ANSWERSoccurs when in the absence of training and reinforcement a response will
select a stimulus that is matched to itself. (A=A)
Symmetry - ANSWERSoccurs with the reversibility of the sample stimulus and comparison
stimulus (If A=B, then B=A)
EX: learner is taught when presented with the spoken word car, selects a car picture, when
presented with a picture of a car, selects spoken word car.
, Transitivity - ANSWERSThe final and critical test for stimulus equivalence, (A=B=C) picture of car,
spoken word car, written word car
Applied Behavior Analyis - ANSWERSScientific approach for discovering environmental variables
that reliably influence SOCIALLY SIGNFICIANT bx and for developing a technology of bx change
tha tis practical and applicable.
SCIENCE - ANSWERSA systematic approach for seeking & organizing knowledge about the
natural world. Science based on Determinism.
Purpose of Science - ANSWERSAchieve a through understanding of the phenomena under study.
ABA-socially important bx's
3 Levels of Scientific Understanding - ANSWERSDescription, Prediction, Control
Description - ANSWERSSystematic observations that can be quantified and classified
Prediction - ANSWERSTwo events may regularly occur at the same time. This does not mean one
causes the other.
EX: when the weather is hot, there are more drownings. This is a CORRELATION but we cannot
assume hot weather causes drowning.
Control (Causation) - ANSWERSFunctional Relation. THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SCIENTIFIC
UNDERSTANDING. Experimental demonstration that manipulating one event, results in another
event.
6 Attitudes of Philosophical Assumptions of BX.
(DEER PP) - ANSWERSDeterminism, Empiricism, Experimentation, Replication, Parsimony,
Philosophical Doubt
Answers
Arbitrary Stimulus Class - ANSWERSAn arbitrary response class contains stimuli that evoke the
same response but do not share a common physical feature. The women's restroom signs are all
different in their physical features: one contains an English word, one contains the universal
symbol for women, and the other is a stylized female. The other examples are all feature
stimulus classes, in that they share common physical forms.
Stimulus Discrimination - ANSWERSreinforcing reponses in the presence of the discriminative
stimulus and withholding reinforcement in the presence of the stimulus deltas
Stimulus discrimination involves the behavior principles of - ANSWERSreinforcement and
extinction
response prompt - ANSWERSoperates directly on the response
stimulus prompt - ANSWERSoperates on the antecedent task stimuli
stimulus equivalence - ANSWERSProvides a methodology for efficient teaching-expanding
learners' skills far beyond what is directly taught. - Stimulus equivalence should probably be the
goal of all instruction. That is, if we can teach learners a few related stimulus-stimulus relations
(not stimulus-response relations) and learners can put those together to broaden their learning
well beyond that of what was directly taught, then this is a very efficient form of teaching and
should be viewed as the "big prize" of education. This procedure has been studied in many
areas of complex verbal relations, including reading, language arts, and math. It is hardly a
"theoretical construct that has not been studied much."
,Stimulus Control - ANSWERSOccurs when the rate, latency, duration or amplitude of a response
is altered in the presence of an antecedent stimulus
EX: stop sign, green light, red light
Stimulus Generalization - ANSWERSOccurs with stimuli that share similar physical properties
with the controlling antecedent stimulus.
Arbitrary Stimulus Class - ANSWERSEvokes the same response, but they do not share a common
stimulus feature.
EX: 50%, 1/2, .50
Matching to Sample - ANSWERSArbitrary stimulus class training procedures to create stimulus
equivalence among arbitrary stimuli
Stimulus Equivalence - ANSWERSEmergence of accurate responding to untrained and non-
reinforced stimulus-stimulus relations following the reinforcement of responses to some
stimulus-stimulus relations
Reflexivity, symmetry, transitivity
Reflexivity - ANSWERSoccurs when in the absence of training and reinforcement a response will
select a stimulus that is matched to itself. (A=A)
Symmetry - ANSWERSoccurs with the reversibility of the sample stimulus and comparison
stimulus (If A=B, then B=A)
EX: learner is taught when presented with the spoken word car, selects a car picture, when
presented with a picture of a car, selects spoken word car.
, Transitivity - ANSWERSThe final and critical test for stimulus equivalence, (A=B=C) picture of car,
spoken word car, written word car
Applied Behavior Analyis - ANSWERSScientific approach for discovering environmental variables
that reliably influence SOCIALLY SIGNFICIANT bx and for developing a technology of bx change
tha tis practical and applicable.
SCIENCE - ANSWERSA systematic approach for seeking & organizing knowledge about the
natural world. Science based on Determinism.
Purpose of Science - ANSWERSAchieve a through understanding of the phenomena under study.
ABA-socially important bx's
3 Levels of Scientific Understanding - ANSWERSDescription, Prediction, Control
Description - ANSWERSSystematic observations that can be quantified and classified
Prediction - ANSWERSTwo events may regularly occur at the same time. This does not mean one
causes the other.
EX: when the weather is hot, there are more drownings. This is a CORRELATION but we cannot
assume hot weather causes drowning.
Control (Causation) - ANSWERSFunctional Relation. THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SCIENTIFIC
UNDERSTANDING. Experimental demonstration that manipulating one event, results in another
event.
6 Attitudes of Philosophical Assumptions of BX.
(DEER PP) - ANSWERSDeterminism, Empiricism, Experimentation, Replication, Parsimony,
Philosophical Doubt
