EDF 6225 Foundations of ABA Final Exam Actual
Exam 2026/2027 – Complete BACB 5th Ed. Task
List Questions with Detailed Rationales | 100%
Verified | Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Section A: Basic Concepts & Principles of Behavior — Reinforcement,
Punishment, & Extinction (10 Questions)
Q1: A behavior analyst is implementing an intervention to teach a child with autism to
request preferred items using picture exchange. The analyst collects data on
acquisition, ensures procedures are precisely described so others can replicate them,
and demonstrates that the skill maintains across settings. Which dimension of ABA
described by Baer, Wolf, and Risley is most clearly demonstrated by ensuring the
procedure can be replicated by others?
A. Applied
B. Behavioral
C. Technological [CORRECT]
D. Generality
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The technological dimension requires that procedures are described with
sufficient detail and clarity to allow replication by others; applied refers to socially
significant behaviors, behavioral refers to measurable change, and generality refers to
maintenance and transfer across settings.
Q2: A teacher gives a student a token immediately after the student raises their hand
instead of calling out. Over the next week, hand-raising increases while calling out
decreases. Which behavioral principle is operating?
A. Positive punishment
B. Negative reinforcement
C. Positive reinforcement [CORRECT]
D. Extinction
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Positive reinforcement occurs when a stimulus (token) is presented
contingent on a behavior (hand-raising), resulting in an increase in the future frequency
of that behavior; the behavior increased, ruling out punishment and extinction.
Q3: A child completes a math worksheet to terminate the teacher's repeated prompting
and close physical proximity. After several instances, the child begins working more
quickly when the teacher approaches. Which behavioral process is demonstrated?
A. Positive reinforcement by addition of teacher attention
B. Negative reinforcement by escape from aversive prompting [CORRECT]
C. Positive punishment by removal of preferred activities
D. Respondent extinction of a conditioned emotional response
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus
(repeated prompting/proximity) contingent on behavior (worksheet completion), which
increases the future probability of that behavior; this is an escape contingency.
Q4: A student is caught cheating on an exam and is immediately removed from the
classroom and denied access to the school store for two weeks. As a result, cheating
behavior decreases. Which behavioral process is illustrated?
A. Positive punishment
B. Negative punishment [CORRECT]
C. Positive reinforcement
D. Negative reinforcement
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Negative punishment (penalty) involves the removal of a stimulus (access to
the school store/activity) contingent on behavior, resulting in a decrease in that
behavior; because a stimulus was removed and behavior decreased, this is negative
punishment.
Q5: A behavior analyst is working with a client who engages in hand-biting. The analyst
determines that the behavior is maintained by automatic reinforcement (sensory
stimulation). The analyst provides noncontingent access to a vibrating chew toy and no
longer allows hand-biting to produce sensory input. Which procedure is being
implemented?
, A. Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior
B. Extinction of automatically reinforced behavior [CORRECT]
C. Positive punishment using sensory overcorrection
D. Negative reinforcement using escape extinction
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Extinction for automatically reinforced behavior involves blocking the sensory
consequence (hand-biting no longer produces stimulation) while providing an
alternative source of similar stimulation; this is distinct from DRA, which requires
reinforcement of a specific alternative behavior.
Q6: A client screams to escape demands during therapy sessions. The therapist begins
to continue presenting the demand and block escape when screaming occurs, while
providing brief breaks only for appropriate requests. After several sessions, screaming
initially increases in intensity and duration before eventually decreasing. What is the
initial increase called?
A. Spontaneous recovery
B. Extinction burst [CORRECT]
C. Schedule thinning
D. Behavioral contrast
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: An extinction burst is a temporary increase in the frequency, intensity, or
topography of a behavior when the maintaining reinforcer is no longer delivered; this is
an expected and well-documented phenomenon during extinction of escape-maintained
behavior.
Q7: A behavior analyst is assessing why a client engages in aggression. The analyst
observes that aggression occurs most often when preferred toys are removed and
results in the caregiver returning the toy. Which function of behavior is indicated?
A. Automatic reinforcement
B. Social positive reinforcement (access to tangible items) [CORRECT]
C. Social negative reinforcement (escape from demands)
D. Respondent conditioning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: When aggression produces the delivery of a preferred stimulus (toy) by
another person, the behavior is maintained by social positive reinforcement in the form
Exam 2026/2027 – Complete BACB 5th Ed. Task
List Questions with Detailed Rationales | 100%
Verified | Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Section A: Basic Concepts & Principles of Behavior — Reinforcement,
Punishment, & Extinction (10 Questions)
Q1: A behavior analyst is implementing an intervention to teach a child with autism to
request preferred items using picture exchange. The analyst collects data on
acquisition, ensures procedures are precisely described so others can replicate them,
and demonstrates that the skill maintains across settings. Which dimension of ABA
described by Baer, Wolf, and Risley is most clearly demonstrated by ensuring the
procedure can be replicated by others?
A. Applied
B. Behavioral
C. Technological [CORRECT]
D. Generality
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The technological dimension requires that procedures are described with
sufficient detail and clarity to allow replication by others; applied refers to socially
significant behaviors, behavioral refers to measurable change, and generality refers to
maintenance and transfer across settings.
Q2: A teacher gives a student a token immediately after the student raises their hand
instead of calling out. Over the next week, hand-raising increases while calling out
decreases. Which behavioral principle is operating?
A. Positive punishment
B. Negative reinforcement
C. Positive reinforcement [CORRECT]
D. Extinction
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Positive reinforcement occurs when a stimulus (token) is presented
contingent on a behavior (hand-raising), resulting in an increase in the future frequency
of that behavior; the behavior increased, ruling out punishment and extinction.
Q3: A child completes a math worksheet to terminate the teacher's repeated prompting
and close physical proximity. After several instances, the child begins working more
quickly when the teacher approaches. Which behavioral process is demonstrated?
A. Positive reinforcement by addition of teacher attention
B. Negative reinforcement by escape from aversive prompting [CORRECT]
C. Positive punishment by removal of preferred activities
D. Respondent extinction of a conditioned emotional response
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus
(repeated prompting/proximity) contingent on behavior (worksheet completion), which
increases the future probability of that behavior; this is an escape contingency.
Q4: A student is caught cheating on an exam and is immediately removed from the
classroom and denied access to the school store for two weeks. As a result, cheating
behavior decreases. Which behavioral process is illustrated?
A. Positive punishment
B. Negative punishment [CORRECT]
C. Positive reinforcement
D. Negative reinforcement
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Negative punishment (penalty) involves the removal of a stimulus (access to
the school store/activity) contingent on behavior, resulting in a decrease in that
behavior; because a stimulus was removed and behavior decreased, this is negative
punishment.
Q5: A behavior analyst is working with a client who engages in hand-biting. The analyst
determines that the behavior is maintained by automatic reinforcement (sensory
stimulation). The analyst provides noncontingent access to a vibrating chew toy and no
longer allows hand-biting to produce sensory input. Which procedure is being
implemented?
, A. Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior
B. Extinction of automatically reinforced behavior [CORRECT]
C. Positive punishment using sensory overcorrection
D. Negative reinforcement using escape extinction
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Extinction for automatically reinforced behavior involves blocking the sensory
consequence (hand-biting no longer produces stimulation) while providing an
alternative source of similar stimulation; this is distinct from DRA, which requires
reinforcement of a specific alternative behavior.
Q6: A client screams to escape demands during therapy sessions. The therapist begins
to continue presenting the demand and block escape when screaming occurs, while
providing brief breaks only for appropriate requests. After several sessions, screaming
initially increases in intensity and duration before eventually decreasing. What is the
initial increase called?
A. Spontaneous recovery
B. Extinction burst [CORRECT]
C. Schedule thinning
D. Behavioral contrast
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: An extinction burst is a temporary increase in the frequency, intensity, or
topography of a behavior when the maintaining reinforcer is no longer delivered; this is
an expected and well-documented phenomenon during extinction of escape-maintained
behavior.
Q7: A behavior analyst is assessing why a client engages in aggression. The analyst
observes that aggression occurs most often when preferred toys are removed and
results in the caregiver returning the toy. Which function of behavior is indicated?
A. Automatic reinforcement
B. Social positive reinforcement (access to tangible items) [CORRECT]
C. Social negative reinforcement (escape from demands)
D. Respondent conditioning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: When aggression produces the delivery of a preferred stimulus (toy) by
another person, the behavior is maintained by social positive reinforcement in the form
