, Question 1
A behavior analyst is designing a token economy for a group home. Tokens are
delivered on a fixed-ratio 5 schedule and exchanged weekly for backup
reinforcers. Over two weeks, token production is high but backup-reinforcer
consumption steadily declines, and staff report residents hoarding tokens.
Which modification best preserves the token's conditioned reinforcing
function?
A. Increase the FR requirement to FR 10 to reduce satiation on tokens.
B. Shorten the exchange delay and offer a menu of backup reinforcers
varied across exchange periods.
C. Switch token delivery to a variable-interval schedule to thin
reinforcement.
D. Add a response-cost contingency for hoarding to suppress the
behavior.
Correct Answer: B - Shorten the exchange delay and offer a menu
of backup reinforcers varied across exchange periods.
RATIONALE
Conditioned reinforcers lose efficacy when the exchange delay is long
and backup reinforcers are invariant (satiation); shortening the delay
and varying the backup menu restores the token's reinforcing function.
Raising the FR or thinning to VI reduces token delivery and worsens
the problem, and response cost for hoarding punishes a behavior that
reflects a value problem, not a behavioral excess.
Question 2
During a functional analysis, a therapist presents attention contingent on
problem behavior in one condition and withholds it in another. Problem
behavior occurs almost exclusively in the attention condition, but the rate is
low and variable. Which methodological refinement most directly increases the
internal validity of the conclusion that attention maintains the behavior?
Page 2
, A. Add a alone condition to rule out automatic reinforcement.
B. Increase session length to 30 minutes to capture more responses.
C. Conduct a contingency reversal within the attention condition
(attention on vs. off).
D. Use a paired-stimulus preference assessment to identify a competing
reinforcer.
Correct Answer: C - Conduct a contingency reversal within the
attention condition (attention on vs. off).
RATIONALE
A within-condition reversal demonstrates experimental control by
showing the behavior covaries with the attention contingency,
strengthening the functional conclusion. Adding an alone condition
addresses automatic reinforcement, longer sessions address sensitivity,
and preference assessment identifies reinforcers but does not test the
attention function.
Question 3
A DRO procedure is implemented for aggression. Baseline rate is 12 responses
per hour. The initial DRO interval is set at 10 minutes and aggression drops to
near zero. Over subsequent sessions, the interval is lengthened to 30 minutes.
Which statement best characterizes the likely effect of this schedule change?
A. Lengthening the DRO interval increases the density of reinforcement
for the absence of behavior.
B. Lengthening the DRO interval decreases the density of reinforcement
for the absence of behavior, potentially increasing aggression.
C. Lengthening the DRO interval makes the schedule more similar to a
DRL and thus more effective.
D. Lengthening the DRO interval has no effect because DRO is
insensitive to interval length.
Correct Answer: B - Lengthening the DRO interval decreases the
density of reinforcement for the absence of behavior, potentially
Page 3
, increasing aggression.
RATIONALE
DRO reinforcement density is inversely related to interval length;
longer intervals provide fewer reinforcement opportunities for the
absence of behavior, which can weaken the contingency and allow
aggression to resurge. DRO is not equivalent to DRL (which
reinforces low rates of the target behavior), and DRO is highly
sensitive to interval length.
Question 4
A researcher uses a multiple-baseline-across-participants design to evaluate a
social-skills intervention. Baselines are stable, but the intervention is
introduced to all participants during the same week because of a school-wide
schedule change. Which threat to internal validity is most directly introduced?
A. Maturation
B. Instrumentation
C. History
D. Statistical regression
Correct Answer: C - History
RATIONALE
Simultaneous introduction of the intervention across all tiers
eliminates the staggered demonstration of effect and allows a
coincidental historical event to account for behavior change.
Maturation, instrumentation, and regression are alternative
explanations but are not specifically produced by the loss of staggered
introduction.
Question 5
A behavior analyst collects data using partial-interval recording with 10-second
intervals and reports that the behavior occurred in 60% of intervals. Which
conclusion is most defensible?
Page 4
A behavior analyst is designing a token economy for a group home. Tokens are
delivered on a fixed-ratio 5 schedule and exchanged weekly for backup
reinforcers. Over two weeks, token production is high but backup-reinforcer
consumption steadily declines, and staff report residents hoarding tokens.
Which modification best preserves the token's conditioned reinforcing
function?
A. Increase the FR requirement to FR 10 to reduce satiation on tokens.
B. Shorten the exchange delay and offer a menu of backup reinforcers
varied across exchange periods.
C. Switch token delivery to a variable-interval schedule to thin
reinforcement.
D. Add a response-cost contingency for hoarding to suppress the
behavior.
Correct Answer: B - Shorten the exchange delay and offer a menu
of backup reinforcers varied across exchange periods.
RATIONALE
Conditioned reinforcers lose efficacy when the exchange delay is long
and backup reinforcers are invariant (satiation); shortening the delay
and varying the backup menu restores the token's reinforcing function.
Raising the FR or thinning to VI reduces token delivery and worsens
the problem, and response cost for hoarding punishes a behavior that
reflects a value problem, not a behavioral excess.
Question 2
During a functional analysis, a therapist presents attention contingent on
problem behavior in one condition and withholds it in another. Problem
behavior occurs almost exclusively in the attention condition, but the rate is
low and variable. Which methodological refinement most directly increases the
internal validity of the conclusion that attention maintains the behavior?
Page 2
, A. Add a alone condition to rule out automatic reinforcement.
B. Increase session length to 30 minutes to capture more responses.
C. Conduct a contingency reversal within the attention condition
(attention on vs. off).
D. Use a paired-stimulus preference assessment to identify a competing
reinforcer.
Correct Answer: C - Conduct a contingency reversal within the
attention condition (attention on vs. off).
RATIONALE
A within-condition reversal demonstrates experimental control by
showing the behavior covaries with the attention contingency,
strengthening the functional conclusion. Adding an alone condition
addresses automatic reinforcement, longer sessions address sensitivity,
and preference assessment identifies reinforcers but does not test the
attention function.
Question 3
A DRO procedure is implemented for aggression. Baseline rate is 12 responses
per hour. The initial DRO interval is set at 10 minutes and aggression drops to
near zero. Over subsequent sessions, the interval is lengthened to 30 minutes.
Which statement best characterizes the likely effect of this schedule change?
A. Lengthening the DRO interval increases the density of reinforcement
for the absence of behavior.
B. Lengthening the DRO interval decreases the density of reinforcement
for the absence of behavior, potentially increasing aggression.
C. Lengthening the DRO interval makes the schedule more similar to a
DRL and thus more effective.
D. Lengthening the DRO interval has no effect because DRO is
insensitive to interval length.
Correct Answer: B - Lengthening the DRO interval decreases the
density of reinforcement for the absence of behavior, potentially
Page 3
, increasing aggression.
RATIONALE
DRO reinforcement density is inversely related to interval length;
longer intervals provide fewer reinforcement opportunities for the
absence of behavior, which can weaken the contingency and allow
aggression to resurge. DRO is not equivalent to DRL (which
reinforces low rates of the target behavior), and DRO is highly
sensitive to interval length.
Question 4
A researcher uses a multiple-baseline-across-participants design to evaluate a
social-skills intervention. Baselines are stable, but the intervention is
introduced to all participants during the same week because of a school-wide
schedule change. Which threat to internal validity is most directly introduced?
A. Maturation
B. Instrumentation
C. History
D. Statistical regression
Correct Answer: C - History
RATIONALE
Simultaneous introduction of the intervention across all tiers
eliminates the staggered demonstration of effect and allows a
coincidental historical event to account for behavior change.
Maturation, instrumentation, and regression are alternative
explanations but are not specifically produced by the loss of staggered
introduction.
Question 5
A behavior analyst collects data using partial-interval recording with 10-second
intervals and reports that the behavior occurred in 60% of intervals. Which
conclusion is most defensible?
Page 4
