1
BCBA TASK LIST ACTUAL 2025/2026
QUESTIONS AND 100% CORRECT
ANSWERS
Positive reinforcement - (ANSWER)the presentation of a stimulus immediately
following a response that increases future responding
negative reinforcement - (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.)
motivating operations - (ANSWER)Variables in the environment that alter the
relative value of a particular reinforcer at a particular time.
discriminative stimuli - (ANSWER)stimuli that signal whether reinforcement is
available if a certain response is made
chaining - (ANSWER)the completion of one step acts as the SD for the next step; a
specific number of responses that are linked together to produce terminal
outcome
forward chaining - (ANSWER)a method for teaching behavior chains that begins
with the learner being prompted and taught to perform the fist behavior in the
task analysis; the trainer completed the remaining steps in the chain.
,2
backward chaining - (ANSWER)A teaching procedure in which a trainer completes
all but the last behavior in a chain, which is performed by the learner, who then
receives reinforcement for completing the chain. When the learner shows
competence in performing the final step in the chain, the trainer performs all but
the last two behaviors in the chain, the learner emits the final two steps to
complete the chain, and reinforcement is delivered. This sequence is continued
until the learner completes the entire chain independently.
behavioral cusp - (ANSWER)a behavior that has consequences beyond the change
itself; it exposes the individual's repertoire to new environments causing their
repertoire to expand
description - (ANSWER)enables scientists to describe the systematic observation
that enhances that understanding of any given phenomenon
Predicition - (ANSWER)in the presence of one event, another event occurs with
some specified probability
control - (ANSWER)ability to show a functional relation: that one change can be
reliably produced by specific manipulations of another event
Lawfulness of behavior - (ANSWER)Behavior is the result of some condition that
caused it to happen
, 3
Selectionism - (ANSWER)An approach that, as applied to behavior analysis,
suggests a complete account of behavior must consider 3 levels of selection:
phylogeny, ontogeny, and cultural
determinism - (ANSWER)All events in the universe are orderly, lawful,
predictable, and determined by physical causes
Parsimony - (ANSWER)all simple, logical explanations for the phenomenon under
investigation must be ruled out before more complex and abstract explanations
are considered
Pragmaticism - (ANSWER)an approach that assesses the truth of meaning of
theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application.
Empiricism - (ANSWER)Developing knowledge from experience and evidence(not
logic or reason). Facts are derived from observation and experimentation
Mentalism - (ANSWER)The doctrine that all knowledge is a function of mental
phenomena and dependent on the perceiving or experiencing person.
behaviorism - (ANSWER)the science of behavior is a natural science encompassed
by behavioral events that happen due to the way the universe is arranged and
explained by other natural events
BCBA TASK LIST ACTUAL 2025/2026
QUESTIONS AND 100% CORRECT
ANSWERS
Positive reinforcement - (ANSWER)the presentation of a stimulus immediately
following a response that increases future responding
negative reinforcement - (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.)
motivating operations - (ANSWER)Variables in the environment that alter the
relative value of a particular reinforcer at a particular time.
discriminative stimuli - (ANSWER)stimuli that signal whether reinforcement is
available if a certain response is made
chaining - (ANSWER)the completion of one step acts as the SD for the next step; a
specific number of responses that are linked together to produce terminal
outcome
forward chaining - (ANSWER)a method for teaching behavior chains that begins
with the learner being prompted and taught to perform the fist behavior in the
task analysis; the trainer completed the remaining steps in the chain.
,2
backward chaining - (ANSWER)A teaching procedure in which a trainer completes
all but the last behavior in a chain, which is performed by the learner, who then
receives reinforcement for completing the chain. When the learner shows
competence in performing the final step in the chain, the trainer performs all but
the last two behaviors in the chain, the learner emits the final two steps to
complete the chain, and reinforcement is delivered. This sequence is continued
until the learner completes the entire chain independently.
behavioral cusp - (ANSWER)a behavior that has consequences beyond the change
itself; it exposes the individual's repertoire to new environments causing their
repertoire to expand
description - (ANSWER)enables scientists to describe the systematic observation
that enhances that understanding of any given phenomenon
Predicition - (ANSWER)in the presence of one event, another event occurs with
some specified probability
control - (ANSWER)ability to show a functional relation: that one change can be
reliably produced by specific manipulations of another event
Lawfulness of behavior - (ANSWER)Behavior is the result of some condition that
caused it to happen
, 3
Selectionism - (ANSWER)An approach that, as applied to behavior analysis,
suggests a complete account of behavior must consider 3 levels of selection:
phylogeny, ontogeny, and cultural
determinism - (ANSWER)All events in the universe are orderly, lawful,
predictable, and determined by physical causes
Parsimony - (ANSWER)all simple, logical explanations for the phenomenon under
investigation must be ruled out before more complex and abstract explanations
are considered
Pragmaticism - (ANSWER)an approach that assesses the truth of meaning of
theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application.
Empiricism - (ANSWER)Developing knowledge from experience and evidence(not
logic or reason). Facts are derived from observation and experimentation
Mentalism - (ANSWER)The doctrine that all knowledge is a function of mental
phenomena and dependent on the perceiving or experiencing person.
behaviorism - (ANSWER)the science of behavior is a natural science encompassed
by behavioral events that happen due to the way the universe is arranged and
explained by other natural events
