BCAT Exam
Positive reinforcement - ANSGive something that increases behavior
Negative reinforcement - ANSTake something away that increases behavior
Positive punishment - ANSGive something that decreases behavior
Negative punishment - ANSTake something away that decreases behavior
Reinforcer - ANSA stimulus that increases the probability of a desired response
Punisher - ANSA stimulus that decreases the probability of a desired response
Conditioned reinforcer - ANSA learned reinforcer; we are not born seeking these items as
reinforcers
Unconditioned reinforcer - ANSInherently reinforcing for all humans from birth; they do not need
to be learned; water, warmth, oxygen are examples; they are typically required for survival
Extinction - ANSWhen the reinforcement of a previously reinforced behavior is discontinued and
as a result the frequency of that behavior decreases in the future
Deprivation - ANSWithholding a reinforcer that increases relevant learning and performance; not
having access to something that is highly desirable; often used to increase the value of an item
Satiation - ANSThe opposite of deprivation; refers to having too much- if the same reinforcer is
used over and over again it will lose its reinforcing value
Contingency - ANSA type of intervention that is used to increase desirable behaviors or
decrease undesirable behaviors; specifies target behavior, the conditions under which the
behavior will occur, and the benefits or consequences that will come with meeting or failing to
meet the target; dependent and/or temporal relations between operant behavior and its
controlling variables
Motivating operation (MO) - ANSIncrease desire for motivation (capture or create motivation
prior to the task); more correct response, less problem behaviors; antecedent situations that
change effectiveness of a reinforcer and the occurrence of behaviors that have been reinforced
by those consequences (e.g., establishing operation, abolishing operation)
Antecedent - ANSSituations that occur immediately before the behavior
, Behavior - ANSIncludes everything that people do
Consequence - ANSSituation occurring immediately after the behavior
3-term contingency - ANSAntecedent, Behavior, Consequence
Stimulus - ANSAnything that a person can experience through their senses
Discriminative Stimulus (SD) - ANSA type of stimulus that is used consistently to gain a specific
response and that increases the possibility that the desired response will occur
Stimulus control - ANSOccurs when an organism behaves in one way in the presence of a given
stimulus and another way in its absence
Response - ANSA single instance or occurrence of a specific class or type of behavior
Discrete Trial - ANSA small unit of instruction implemented by a teacher who works one on one
with a child in a distraction-free setting
Discrimination Training - ANSTeaching a client to differentiate between responses/stimuli, can
take a variety of forms, for example: identifying colors, labeling objects, and reading words
Discrete Trial Training (DTT) - ANSDeliver SD (instruction) without any extraneous language;
Provide appropriate prompts if necessary (given immediately after SD); Provide appropriate
consequences (reinforcement should be provided for correct responses and an error correction
should be provided for incorrect responses); Collect data; Follow correct format (mass trial,
expanded trial, random rotation) and check for mastery
Natural Environment Training - ANSTeaching in a generalized manner, using naturally occurring
situations to teach a skill; can be during play, during daily routines, or as circumstances present
themselves; typically does not look like a structured/classroom style approach
Fluency-Based Training - ANSTeaching a client to not only respond correctly, but at a certain
rate
Generalization - ANSThe use of a response in a variety of situations and ways outside of the
learning setting; most commonly takes the form of stimulus and response generalization
Maintenance - ANSClient maintains the behavior over time without frequent structured practice
opportunities, behavior is "learned" and stays in their repertoire
Caregiver Training - ANSTraining of parents or caregiver in order to help train a child at home or
give consistent care
Positive reinforcement - ANSGive something that increases behavior
Negative reinforcement - ANSTake something away that increases behavior
Positive punishment - ANSGive something that decreases behavior
Negative punishment - ANSTake something away that decreases behavior
Reinforcer - ANSA stimulus that increases the probability of a desired response
Punisher - ANSA stimulus that decreases the probability of a desired response
Conditioned reinforcer - ANSA learned reinforcer; we are not born seeking these items as
reinforcers
Unconditioned reinforcer - ANSInherently reinforcing for all humans from birth; they do not need
to be learned; water, warmth, oxygen are examples; they are typically required for survival
Extinction - ANSWhen the reinforcement of a previously reinforced behavior is discontinued and
as a result the frequency of that behavior decreases in the future
Deprivation - ANSWithholding a reinforcer that increases relevant learning and performance; not
having access to something that is highly desirable; often used to increase the value of an item
Satiation - ANSThe opposite of deprivation; refers to having too much- if the same reinforcer is
used over and over again it will lose its reinforcing value
Contingency - ANSA type of intervention that is used to increase desirable behaviors or
decrease undesirable behaviors; specifies target behavior, the conditions under which the
behavior will occur, and the benefits or consequences that will come with meeting or failing to
meet the target; dependent and/or temporal relations between operant behavior and its
controlling variables
Motivating operation (MO) - ANSIncrease desire for motivation (capture or create motivation
prior to the task); more correct response, less problem behaviors; antecedent situations that
change effectiveness of a reinforcer and the occurrence of behaviors that have been reinforced
by those consequences (e.g., establishing operation, abolishing operation)
Antecedent - ANSSituations that occur immediately before the behavior
, Behavior - ANSIncludes everything that people do
Consequence - ANSSituation occurring immediately after the behavior
3-term contingency - ANSAntecedent, Behavior, Consequence
Stimulus - ANSAnything that a person can experience through their senses
Discriminative Stimulus (SD) - ANSA type of stimulus that is used consistently to gain a specific
response and that increases the possibility that the desired response will occur
Stimulus control - ANSOccurs when an organism behaves in one way in the presence of a given
stimulus and another way in its absence
Response - ANSA single instance or occurrence of a specific class or type of behavior
Discrete Trial - ANSA small unit of instruction implemented by a teacher who works one on one
with a child in a distraction-free setting
Discrimination Training - ANSTeaching a client to differentiate between responses/stimuli, can
take a variety of forms, for example: identifying colors, labeling objects, and reading words
Discrete Trial Training (DTT) - ANSDeliver SD (instruction) without any extraneous language;
Provide appropriate prompts if necessary (given immediately after SD); Provide appropriate
consequences (reinforcement should be provided for correct responses and an error correction
should be provided for incorrect responses); Collect data; Follow correct format (mass trial,
expanded trial, random rotation) and check for mastery
Natural Environment Training - ANSTeaching in a generalized manner, using naturally occurring
situations to teach a skill; can be during play, during daily routines, or as circumstances present
themselves; typically does not look like a structured/classroom style approach
Fluency-Based Training - ANSTeaching a client to not only respond correctly, but at a certain
rate
Generalization - ANSThe use of a response in a variety of situations and ways outside of the
learning setting; most commonly takes the form of stimulus and response generalization
Maintenance - ANSClient maintains the behavior over time without frequent structured practice
opportunities, behavior is "learned" and stays in their repertoire
Caregiver Training - ANSTraining of parents or caregiver in order to help train a child at home or
give consistent care
