ABA 1 Final Exam Study guide verified
to pass 2026/2027
Positive reinforcement - correct answer Increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli, such as
food. A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the
response.
Negative reinforcement - correct answer Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli,
such as shock. A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens
the response. (Note: negative reinforcement is not punishment.)
How do we ensure that reinforcement is effective? - correct answer Reinforcement is based on a
contingency, it is delivered immediately, reinforcement is varied, reinforcements that could cause harm
are not used.
primary reinforcers - correct answer Events that are inherently reinforcing because they satisfy
biological needs
secondary reinforcer - correct answer any reinforcer that becomes reinforcing after being paired with a
primary reinforcer, such as praise, tokens, or gold stars
Punishment - correct answer an event that decreases the behavior that it follows
When is punishment used in ABA? - correct answer punishment is used in treating severe self-injury,
aggression towards others and other life-limiting behaviors. It is ONLY a last resort tactic. Has several
ethical implications tat must be followed.
Ethical use of punishment - correct answer interventions provided must maintain individuals rights for
safe and humane treatment., least intrusive interventions must be used, right to effective treatment
, must be maintain, when using punishment data must be collected and reviewed, in some situations
human rights committees may need to be involved in the use of punishment,
What is a response? - correct answer a single instance of behavior that occurs after a stimulus change in
an environment. Mesuarable unit of analysis
Response classes - correct answer a group of behaviors that have the same function but may look
different (many different ways to shoot a basketball)
continuous data - correct answer involves recording all instances of behavior during a given
observation. This includes ABC recording, frequency, duration, latency, event recording, and anecdotal
recording,.
whole interval recording - correct answer the observer records whether the target behavior occurred
throughout the entire interval; tends to underestimate the proportion of the observation period that
many behaviors actually occurred.
partial interval - correct answer A interval recording procedure in which an observer notes whether or
not a behavior occurred at all during an interval; useful when behaviors occurs at high rates.
momentary time sampling - correct answer records whether the target behavior is occurring at the
moment that each time interval ends. This is useful for behaviors that occur frequently and last for long
periods of time.
line graphs - correct answer show momentary changes in behavior, help us see data trends, show data
variation between individual sessions
Socially Significant Behaviors - correct answer Behaviors that have immediate and long-lasting meaning
for the person and for those who interact with that person
to pass 2026/2027
Positive reinforcement - correct answer Increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli, such as
food. A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the
response.
Negative reinforcement - correct answer Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli,
such as shock. A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens
the response. (Note: negative reinforcement is not punishment.)
How do we ensure that reinforcement is effective? - correct answer Reinforcement is based on a
contingency, it is delivered immediately, reinforcement is varied, reinforcements that could cause harm
are not used.
primary reinforcers - correct answer Events that are inherently reinforcing because they satisfy
biological needs
secondary reinforcer - correct answer any reinforcer that becomes reinforcing after being paired with a
primary reinforcer, such as praise, tokens, or gold stars
Punishment - correct answer an event that decreases the behavior that it follows
When is punishment used in ABA? - correct answer punishment is used in treating severe self-injury,
aggression towards others and other life-limiting behaviors. It is ONLY a last resort tactic. Has several
ethical implications tat must be followed.
Ethical use of punishment - correct answer interventions provided must maintain individuals rights for
safe and humane treatment., least intrusive interventions must be used, right to effective treatment
, must be maintain, when using punishment data must be collected and reviewed, in some situations
human rights committees may need to be involved in the use of punishment,
What is a response? - correct answer a single instance of behavior that occurs after a stimulus change in
an environment. Mesuarable unit of analysis
Response classes - correct answer a group of behaviors that have the same function but may look
different (many different ways to shoot a basketball)
continuous data - correct answer involves recording all instances of behavior during a given
observation. This includes ABC recording, frequency, duration, latency, event recording, and anecdotal
recording,.
whole interval recording - correct answer the observer records whether the target behavior occurred
throughout the entire interval; tends to underestimate the proportion of the observation period that
many behaviors actually occurred.
partial interval - correct answer A interval recording procedure in which an observer notes whether or
not a behavior occurred at all during an interval; useful when behaviors occurs at high rates.
momentary time sampling - correct answer records whether the target behavior is occurring at the
moment that each time interval ends. This is useful for behaviors that occur frequently and last for long
periods of time.
line graphs - correct answer show momentary changes in behavior, help us see data trends, show data
variation between individual sessions
Socially Significant Behaviors - correct answer Behaviors that have immediate and long-lasting meaning
for the person and for those who interact with that person
