BCBA Exam Section 1: Foundational Knowledge

BCBA Exam Section 1: Foundational Knowledge Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) - Scientific approach for discovering environmental variables that reliably influence socially-significant Bx and for developing technology of Bx change that is practical and applicable. ABA is an applied science. Definition of Science - Systematic approach for seeking and organizing knowledge about the natural world. It's based on determinism. Purpose of Science - To achieve a thorough understanding of the phenomena under study. In ABA, the phenomena are socially-important Bx. 3 Levels of Scientific Understanding - DPC - Description, Prediction, Control Description - Systematic observations that can be quantified and classified. One of the 3 levels of scientific understanding. Prediction - Two events may regularly occur at the same time. AKA, covariation, correlation. One of the 3 levels of scientific understanding. Control - Functional relation. Experimental demonstration that manipulating one event results in another event. AKA, causation. The highest level of scientific understanding. 6 Attitudes of Science/Philosophical Assumptions - DEERPP - Determinism, Empiricism, Experimentation, Replication, Parsimony, Philosophical Doubt. Determinism - The world is an orderly, predictable place. Cause/effect. If/then. Empiricism - Facts, experimental, data-based, driven by observation and experience. Requires quantification and detailed description. Experimental - Requires manipulation of variables to see the effects on the dependent variable. The basic strategy of most sciences. AKA, experimental Analysis. Replication - Repeating experiments. The method used to determine reliability and discover mistakes. Makes science a self-correcting enterprise. Parsimony - Simplest theory. Rule out simple/logical explanations before considering more complex ones. Helps scientists fit findings in knowledge base. Philosophical Doubt - Healthy skepticism and critical eye about the results of studies and your work with clients. 7 Dimensions of ABA - BATCAGE - Behavioral, Applied, Technological, Conceptually Systematic, Analytical, Generality, Effective. Defined by Baer, Wolf, & Risley in 1968. BCBA Exam Section 1: Foundational Knowledge When was JABA first published? - 1968 Behavioral - Observable and measurable events. The Bx one chooses MUST be the Bx in need of improvement. Applied - Improves client's everyday life. Improves socially-significant Bx. Helps significant others behave more positively toward client. Technological - Defines procedures clearly and in detail so they're replicable. Conceptually Systematic - All procedures are tied to the principles of ABA. Analytical - A functional relation is demonstrated. Ultimate issue is believability - is the experimental control sufficient enough to prove a reliable functional relation? AKA, functional relation, experimentation, control, causation. Generality - Extends Bx change across time, settings, or other Bx. AKA, generalization. Effective - Improves Bx in a practical manner (not just statistically significant). 3 Types of Mentalism - HEC - Hypothetical Constructs, Explanatory Fictions, Circular Reasoning Mentalism - An approach to explaining Bx that assumes an inner dimension exists that causes Bx. Traditional psychology is dominated by mentalism. AKA, spiritual, psychic, subjective, feelings, attitudes, processing. Hypothetical Constructs - A presumed, but unobserved, entity. Examples include free will, readiness, memory storage & retrieval, information processing. AKA, imaginary constructs. Explanatory Fictions - Fictitious variables that are another name for the observed Bx. They contribute nothing to the understanding of variables maintaining Bx. Words associated with explanatory fictions are "knows," "wants," "figures out." Circular Reasoning - The cause and effect are both inferred from the same info. Example, he cried because he felt sad. The sad feeling and the crying are both inferred from the same depressive Bx. Behaviorism - The philosophy of the science of behavior. Emerged in the early 20th century in response to mentalistic psychology that had difficulty making predictions that could be experimentally tested. It's the environmental explanation of Bx. BCBA Exam Section 1: Foundational Knowledge 4 Branches of Behavior Analysis - CASE - Conceptual Analysis of Behavior, ABA, Service Delivery, Experimental Analysis of Behavior Conceptual Analysis of Behavior - Examines philosophical, theoretical, historical, and methodological issues. AKA, behaviorism. ABA - Refers to behavior analysts that assess, monitor, analyze, revise, and communicate the effects of their work. They create Bx-change tactics. Behavior Service Delivery - Refers to the many people in various fields implementing ABA within their professions (NOT BCBAs or BCaBAs). Think of educators, coaches, counselors, animal training, etc. Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB) - Research on basic processes and principles that is done mainly in labs. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov - Classical conditioning. Respondent conditioning with dogs. First studies published in 1906. John Broadus Watson - Methodological behaviorism. First person to describe behaviorism as a formal system. Looked only at publicly-observable events. Direct observation of the relationship between the stimulus and the response (S-R psychology). Little Albert experiment. Burrhus Frederic Skinner - Radical behaviorism unveiled in 1938. Considered radical because it included private events. Little Albert experiment - Conducted in 1920 by John B. Watson. A white rat was paired with a loud clanking noise resulting in 9-month-old Albert crying and showing fear when he saw the rat. 2 Sources of Influence for Radical Behaviorism - Darwinian Selectionism and Pragmatism Darwinian Selectionism - 3-term contingency with regard to the survival of species. Life evolves as a result of selection with respect to function. Selection by consequences operates during the lifetime of the individual (ontogeny) and is similar to natural selection (phylogeny). Operant selection by consequences requires variation in Bx. Bx that result in best outcomes are selected and survive; thus, leading to more adaptive repertoires. Pragmatism - A probabilistic AB-because-of-C philosophy. The relationship of A (setting) and B (behavior) is because of C (consequence). BCBA Exam Section 1: Foundational Knowledge 2 Primary Types of Behavior - Repondent Bx and Operant Bx Respondent Behavior - Involuntary Bx elicited by antecedent stimuli. Changes little over a person's lifetime. Product of natural evolution. AKA, reflex, reflexive relations, US-UR. Habituation - When the eliciting stimulus is presented repeatedly over a short time, the strength of the respondent Bx diminishes. Phylogenic/Phylogeny - Bx that is inherited genetically. Respondent Bx is due to phylogenic history. Respondent Conditioning - When new stimuli acquire the ability to elicit respondents. AKA, classical conditioning, Pavlovian conditioning, S-S pairing, CS-CR. US - Unconditioned Stimulus CS - Conditioned Stimulus UR - Unconditioned Response NS - Neutral Stimulus CR - Conditioned Response Operant Behavior - Voluntary Bx that is evoked/emitted as a result of its history of consequences. Operants are defined by function, NOT topography. Encompasses both reinforcement and punishment. AKA, S-R-S Model, 3-term contingency, ABC. Adaptation - Reductions in responding evoked by an antecedent stimulus over repeated or prolonged presentations. (in operant conditioning) Ontogenic/Ontogeny - Learning that results from an organism's interaction with his/her environment. Operant Bx is due to ontogenic history. Operant Contingency - The occasion for a response, the response, and the outcome of the response. AKA, behavioral contingency, contingency, 3-term contingency, ABC. Primary Unit of Analysis in ABA - 3-term contingency (A-B-C) Contiguity - When 2 stimuli occur close together IN TIME, resulting in an association of those 2 stimuli. AKA, temporal contiguity Contiguity in Respondent Conditioning - Temporal contiguity affects the pairing of the CS and US. BCBA Exam Section 1: Foundational Knowledge Contiguity in Operant Conditioning - Temporal contiguity affects the pairing of the Bx and consequence. Superstitious Bx can be developed due to contiguity. Respondent-Operant Interactions - An experience can often include both respondent and operant conditioning