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 idescription.
Experimental i- iRequires imanipulation iof ivariables ito isee ithe ieffects ion ithe idependent
ivariable. iThe ibasic istrategy iof imost isciences. iAKA, iexperimental iAnalysis.
Replication i- iRepeating iexperiments. iThe imethod iused ito idetermine ireliability iand
idiscover imistakes. iMakes iscience ia iself-correcting ienterprise.
Parsimony i- iSimplest itheory. iRule iout isimple/logical iexplanations ibefore iconsidering
imore icomplex iones. iHelps iscientists ifit ifindings iin iknowledge ibase.
Philosophical iDoubt i- iHealthy iskepticism iand icritical ieye iabout ithe iresults iof istudies
iand iyour iwork iwith iclients.
7 iDimensions iof iABA i- iBATCAGE i- iBehavioral, iApplied, iTechnological, iConceptually
iSystematic, iAnalytical, iGenerality, iEffective. iDefined iby iBaer, iWolf, i& iRisley iin i1968.
, BCBA Exam Section 1: Foundational
Knowledge
When iwas iJABA ifirst ipublished? i- i1968
Behavioral i- iObservable iand imeasurable ievents. iThe iBx ione ichooses iMUST ibe ithe
iBx iin ineed iof iimprovement.
Applied i- iImproves iclient's ieveryday ilife. iImproves isocially-significant iBx. iHelps
isignificant iothers ibehave imore ipositively itoward iclient.
Technological i- iDefines iprocedures iclearly iand iin idetail iso ithey're ireplicable.
Conceptually iSystematic i- iAll iprocedures iare itied ito ithe iprinciples iof iABA.
Analytical i- iA ifunctional irelation iis idemonstrated. iUltimate iissue iis ibelievability i- iis ithe
iexperimental icontrol isufficient ienough ito iprove ia ireliable ifunctional irelation? iAKA,
ifunctional irelation, iexperimentation, icontrol, icausation.
Generality i- iExtends iBx ichange iacross itime, isettings, ior iother iBx. iAKA, igeneralization.
Effective i- iImproves iBx iin ia ipractical imanner i(not ijust istatistically isignificant).
3 iTypes iof iMentalism i- iHEC i- iHypothetical iConstructs, iExplanatory iFictions, iCircular
iReasoning
Mentalism i- iAn iapproach ito iexplaining iBx ithat iassumes ian iinner idimension iexists
ithat icauses iBx. iTraditional ipsychology iis idominated iby imentalism. iAKA, ispiritual,
ipsychic, isubjective, ifeelings, iattitudes, iprocessing.
Hypothetical iConstructs i- iA ipresumed, ibut iunobserved, ientity. iExamples iinclude ifree
iwill, ireadiness, imemory istorage i& iretrieval, iinformation iprocessing. iAKA, iimaginary
iconstructs.
Explanatory iFictions i- iFictitious ivariables ithat iare ianother iname ifor ithe iobserved iBx.
iThey icontribute inothing ito ithe iunderstanding iof ivariables imaintaining iBx. iWords
iassociated iwith iexplanatory ifictions iare i"knows," i"wants," i"figures iout."
Circular iReasoning i- iThe icause iand ieffect iare iboth iinferred ifrom ithe isame iinfo.
iExample, ihe icried ibecause ihe ifelt isad. iThe isad ifeeling iand ithe icrying iare iboth
iinferred ifrom ithe isame idepressive iBx.
Behaviorism i- iThe iphilosophy iof ithe iscience iof ibehavior. iEmerged iin ithe iearly i20th
icentury iin iresponse ito imentalistic ipsychology ithat ihad idifficulty imaking ipredictions
ithat icould ibe iexperimentally itested. iIt's ithe ienvironmental iexplanation iof iBx.
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 idescription.
Experimental i- iRequires imanipulation iof ivariables ito isee ithe ieffects ion ithe idependent
ivariable. iThe ibasic istrategy iof imost isciences. iAKA, iexperimental iAnalysis.
Replication i- iRepeating iexperiments. iThe imethod iused ito idetermine ireliability iand
idiscover imistakes. iMakes iscience ia iself-correcting ienterprise.
Parsimony i- iSimplest itheory. iRule iout isimple/logical iexplanations ibefore iconsidering
imore icomplex iones. iHelps iscientists ifit ifindings iin iknowledge ibase.
Philosophical iDoubt i- iHealthy iskepticism iand icritical ieye iabout ithe iresults iof istudies
iand iyour iwork iwith iclients.
7 iDimensions iof iABA i- iBATCAGE i- iBehavioral, iApplied, iTechnological, iConceptually
iSystematic, iAnalytical, iGenerality, iEffective. iDefined iby iBaer, iWolf, i& iRisley iin i1968.
, BCBA Exam Section 1: Foundational
Knowledge
When iwas iJABA ifirst ipublished? i- i1968
Behavioral i- iObservable iand imeasurable ievents. iThe iBx ione ichooses iMUST ibe ithe
iBx iin ineed iof iimprovement.
Applied i- iImproves iclient's ieveryday ilife. iImproves isocially-significant iBx. iHelps
isignificant iothers ibehave imore ipositively itoward iclient.
Technological i- iDefines iprocedures iclearly iand iin idetail iso ithey're ireplicable.
Conceptually iSystematic i- iAll iprocedures iare itied ito ithe iprinciples iof iABA.
Analytical i- iA ifunctional irelation iis idemonstrated. iUltimate iissue iis ibelievability i- iis ithe
iexperimental icontrol isufficient ienough ito iprove ia ireliable ifunctional irelation? iAKA,
ifunctional irelation, iexperimentation, icontrol, icausation.
Generality i- iExtends iBx ichange iacross itime, isettings, ior iother iBx. iAKA, igeneralization.
Effective i- iImproves iBx iin ia ipractical imanner i(not ijust istatistically isignificant).
3 iTypes iof iMentalism i- iHEC i- iHypothetical iConstructs, iExplanatory iFictions, iCircular
iReasoning
Mentalism i- iAn iapproach ito iexplaining iBx ithat iassumes ian iinner idimension iexists
ithat icauses iBx. iTraditional ipsychology iis idominated iby imentalism. iAKA, ispiritual,
ipsychic, isubjective, ifeelings, iattitudes, iprocessing.
Hypothetical iConstructs i- iA ipresumed, ibut iunobserved, ientity. iExamples iinclude ifree
iwill, ireadiness, imemory istorage i& iretrieval, iinformation iprocessing. iAKA, iimaginary
iconstructs.
Explanatory iFictions i- iFictitious ivariables ithat iare ianother iname ifor ithe iobserved iBx.
iThey icontribute inothing ito ithe iunderstanding iof ivariables imaintaining iBx. iWords
iassociated iwith iexplanatory ifictions iare i"knows," i"wants," i"figures iout."
Circular iReasoning i- iThe icause iand ieffect iare iboth iinferred ifrom ithe isame iinfo.
iExample, ihe icried ibecause ihe ifelt isad. iThe isad ifeeling iand ithe icrying iare iboth
iinferred ifrom ithe isame idepressive iBx.
Behaviorism i- iThe iphilosophy iof ithe iscience iof ibehavior. iEmerged iin ithe iearly i20th
icentury iin iresponse ito imentalistic ipsychology ithat ihad idifficulty imaking ipredictions
ithat icould ibe iexperimentally itested. iIt's ithe ienvironmental iexplanation iof iBx.
