BCBA Exam Flashcards
2025-2026
Final Exam Questions with
Verified Answers | Grade A+ |
New Version
,1968 JABA was established
Baer Wolf Ridley published "Some Current Dimensions of ABA"
ABA The science in which tactics derived from the principles of behavior are applied to
improve socially significant behavior and experimentation is used to identify the
variables responsible for the improvement in behavior.
behavior the activity of living organisms, includes everything that people do and say.
behaviorism the philosophy of the science of behavior
controlling variable The environmental events (antecedents and consequences) that influence the
probability of a particular behavior.
covert behavior Behavior that is not observable to others.
determinism (attitude of Science) the assumption that the universe if a lawful and orderly place in which phenomena
occur in relation to other events and not in a willy nilly accidental fashion
discriminated operant An operant that occurs more frequently under some antecedent conditions than
under others.
Empiricism (Attitude of Science) The objective observation of the phenomena of interest
environment The conglomerate of real circumstances in which the organism or referenced part of
the organism exists
**Behavior cannot occur in the absence of an environment.
environmental variables Variables that are relevant to describing the stimulus environment.
**These can include people and items present.
experiment a carefully controlled comparison of some measure of the phenomenon of interest
under two or more different conditions in which only one factor at a time differs from
one condition to another
Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB) a natural science approach to the study of behavior as a subject matter in its own
right founded by B.F.Skinner
**methodological features include rate of response as a basic dependent vairable,
repeated or continuous measurement of clearly defined response classes, within-
subject experimental comparisons instead of group design, visual analysis of
graphed data instead of statistical inference, and an emphasis on describing
functional relations between behavior and controlling variables in the environment
over formal theory testing
explanatory fiction A hypothetical variable that often takes the form of another name for the observed
phenomenon it claims to explain and contributes nothing to a functional account or
understanding of the phenomenon.
,hypothetical construct a presumed but unobserved process or entity
Mentalism (attitude of Science) An approach to explaining behavior that assumes that a mental, or "inner,"
dimension exists that differs from a behavioral dimension and that phenomena in
this dimension either directly cause or at least mediate some forms of behavior, if
not all.
methodological behaviorism A philosophical position that views behavioral events that cannot be publicly
observed as outside the realm of science.
Ontogeny The history of development of an individual organism during its lifetime.
operant conditioning occurs when a behavior in a particular situation is followed by a reinforcing
consequence, thus making the behavior more likely to occur in a similar
circumstance in the future
parsimony (attitude of Science) The practice of ruling out simple, logical explanations, experimentally or
conceptually, before considering more complex or abstract explanations.
philosophical doubt (attitude of Science) an attitude that the truthfulness and validity of all scientific theory and knowledge
should be continually questioned.
Phylogeny The history of the natural evolution of a species
Pragmatism (attitude of Science) inductive reasoning that draws general rules based on specific observation (goes
with behaviorism)
prediction A statement of the anticipated outcome of a presently unknown or future
measurement
Radical Behaviorism A thoroughgoing form of behaviorism that attempts to understand all human
behavior, including private events such as thoughts and feelings, in terms of
controlling variables in the history of the person (ontogeny) and the species
(phylogeny).
Science a systematic approach to the understanding of natural phenomena
Selectionism The principle that all forms of life, from single cells to complex cultures, evolve as a
result of selection with respect to function.
stimulus-response psychology An approach to psychology focused on the relationship between stimuli and
responses and the objective study of behavior
**also known as Watsonian behaviorism.
, 7 Dimensions of ABA 1. Applied
2. Behavioral
3. Analytic
4. Technological
5. Conceptual Systems
6. Effective
7. Generality
Science description
prediction
control
7 attitudes of science 1. Determinism
2. Empiricism
3. Experimentation
4. Replication
5. Parsimony
6. Philosophic Doubt
7. Lawfulness of Behavior
BF Skinner radical behaviorism
operant behavior
data the results of measurement, usually in quantifiable form
Generalization a process in which the behavior occurs in the presence of antecedent stimuli that
are similar in some way to the SD present when the behavior was reinforced
maintenance Continuation of the behavior change for a long period after the termination of a
behavior modification program.
natural setting An observation setting that is part of the client's normal daily routine.
**The target behavior typically occurs in the natural setting.
neutral stimulus (NS) a neutral change that does not elicit respondent behavior
principle of behavior A statement describing a functional relation between behavior and one or more of
its controlling variables with generality across organisms, species, settings,
behaviors, and time.
reflex A stimulus-response relation consisting of an antecedent stimulus and the
respondent behavior it elicits
Reliance on scientific knowledge (1.01) Behavior analysts rely on scientifically and professionally derived knowledge when
making scientific or professional judgements in human service provision, or when
engaging in scholarly or professional endeavors
Stimulus an environmental event that can be detected by one of the senses
2025-2026
Final Exam Questions with
Verified Answers | Grade A+ |
New Version
,1968 JABA was established
Baer Wolf Ridley published "Some Current Dimensions of ABA"
ABA The science in which tactics derived from the principles of behavior are applied to
improve socially significant behavior and experimentation is used to identify the
variables responsible for the improvement in behavior.
behavior the activity of living organisms, includes everything that people do and say.
behaviorism the philosophy of the science of behavior
controlling variable The environmental events (antecedents and consequences) that influence the
probability of a particular behavior.
covert behavior Behavior that is not observable to others.
determinism (attitude of Science) the assumption that the universe if a lawful and orderly place in which phenomena
occur in relation to other events and not in a willy nilly accidental fashion
discriminated operant An operant that occurs more frequently under some antecedent conditions than
under others.
Empiricism (Attitude of Science) The objective observation of the phenomena of interest
environment The conglomerate of real circumstances in which the organism or referenced part of
the organism exists
**Behavior cannot occur in the absence of an environment.
environmental variables Variables that are relevant to describing the stimulus environment.
**These can include people and items present.
experiment a carefully controlled comparison of some measure of the phenomenon of interest
under two or more different conditions in which only one factor at a time differs from
one condition to another
Experimental Analysis of Behavior (EAB) a natural science approach to the study of behavior as a subject matter in its own
right founded by B.F.Skinner
**methodological features include rate of response as a basic dependent vairable,
repeated or continuous measurement of clearly defined response classes, within-
subject experimental comparisons instead of group design, visual analysis of
graphed data instead of statistical inference, and an emphasis on describing
functional relations between behavior and controlling variables in the environment
over formal theory testing
explanatory fiction A hypothetical variable that often takes the form of another name for the observed
phenomenon it claims to explain and contributes nothing to a functional account or
understanding of the phenomenon.
,hypothetical construct a presumed but unobserved process or entity
Mentalism (attitude of Science) An approach to explaining behavior that assumes that a mental, or "inner,"
dimension exists that differs from a behavioral dimension and that phenomena in
this dimension either directly cause or at least mediate some forms of behavior, if
not all.
methodological behaviorism A philosophical position that views behavioral events that cannot be publicly
observed as outside the realm of science.
Ontogeny The history of development of an individual organism during its lifetime.
operant conditioning occurs when a behavior in a particular situation is followed by a reinforcing
consequence, thus making the behavior more likely to occur in a similar
circumstance in the future
parsimony (attitude of Science) The practice of ruling out simple, logical explanations, experimentally or
conceptually, before considering more complex or abstract explanations.
philosophical doubt (attitude of Science) an attitude that the truthfulness and validity of all scientific theory and knowledge
should be continually questioned.
Phylogeny The history of the natural evolution of a species
Pragmatism (attitude of Science) inductive reasoning that draws general rules based on specific observation (goes
with behaviorism)
prediction A statement of the anticipated outcome of a presently unknown or future
measurement
Radical Behaviorism A thoroughgoing form of behaviorism that attempts to understand all human
behavior, including private events such as thoughts and feelings, in terms of
controlling variables in the history of the person (ontogeny) and the species
(phylogeny).
Science a systematic approach to the understanding of natural phenomena
Selectionism The principle that all forms of life, from single cells to complex cultures, evolve as a
result of selection with respect to function.
stimulus-response psychology An approach to psychology focused on the relationship between stimuli and
responses and the objective study of behavior
**also known as Watsonian behaviorism.
, 7 Dimensions of ABA 1. Applied
2. Behavioral
3. Analytic
4. Technological
5. Conceptual Systems
6. Effective
7. Generality
Science description
prediction
control
7 attitudes of science 1. Determinism
2. Empiricism
3. Experimentation
4. Replication
5. Parsimony
6. Philosophic Doubt
7. Lawfulness of Behavior
BF Skinner radical behaviorism
operant behavior
data the results of measurement, usually in quantifiable form
Generalization a process in which the behavior occurs in the presence of antecedent stimuli that
are similar in some way to the SD present when the behavior was reinforced
maintenance Continuation of the behavior change for a long period after the termination of a
behavior modification program.
natural setting An observation setting that is part of the client's normal daily routine.
**The target behavior typically occurs in the natural setting.
neutral stimulus (NS) a neutral change that does not elicit respondent behavior
principle of behavior A statement describing a functional relation between behavior and one or more of
its controlling variables with generality across organisms, species, settings,
behaviors, and time.
reflex A stimulus-response relation consisting of an antecedent stimulus and the
respondent behavior it elicits
Reliance on scientific knowledge (1.01) Behavior analysts rely on scientifically and professionally derived knowledge when
making scientific or professional judgements in human service provision, or when
engaging in scholarly or professional endeavors
Stimulus an environmental event that can be detected by one of the senses
