WGU D001 STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ ABAB design (reversal design). Answer: An extension of the AB
design in which the independent variable is withdrawn and then
reapplied. This reversal design can demonstrate a functional relation
between dependent and independent variables.
⩥ abscissa. Answer: The horizontal or x axis of a graph. The time
dimension (sessions) is represented along the abscissa.
⩥ accountability. Answer: In education, the assessment of students'
progress on a regular basis and the publication of this assessment, as
well as goals, objectives, and procedures, to parents, school
administrators, and other parties with a right to the information.
⩥ acquisition. Answer: The basic level of student response competence.
It implies the student's ability to perform a newly learned response to
some criterion of accuracy.
⩥ alternating treatments design. Answer: A single-subject experimental
design that allows comparison of the effectiveness of two or more
treatments. It differs from other single-subject designs in that treatments
(sometimes including baseline) are alternated randomly rather than
,presented sequentially (also known as multiple schedule design, multi-
element baseline design, alternating conditions design).
⩥ antecedent stimulus. Answer: A stimulus that precedes a behavior.
This stimulus may or may not serve as discriminative for a specific
behavior.
⩥ applied behavior analysis. Answer: Systematic application of
behavioral principles to change socially significant behavior to a
meaningful degree. Research tools enable users of these principles to
verify a functional relation between a behavior and an intervention.
⩥ aversive stimulus. Answer: A stimulus that decreases the rate or
probability of a behavior when presented as a consequence; as such, it is
a type of punisher. Alternatively, an aversive stimulus may increase the
rate or probability of a behavior when removed as a consequence; as
such, it is a negative reinforcer.
⩥ backup reinforcer. Answer: An object or event received in exchange
for a specific number of tokens, points, etc.
⩥ bar graph. Answer: A graph that employs vertical bars rather than
horizontal lines to indicate levels of performance (also called a
histogram).
, ⩥ baseline data. Answer: Data points that reflect an operant level of the
target behavior. Operant level is the natural occurrence of the behavior
before intervention. Baseline data serve a purpose similar to that of a
pretest, to provide a level of behavior against which the results of an
intervention procedure can be compared
⩥ behavior. Answer: Any observable and measurable act of an
individual (also called a response).
⩥ behavioral objective. Answer: A statement that communicates a
proposed change in behavior. A behavioral objective must include
statements concerning the learner, the behavior, the conditions under
which the behavior will be performed, and the criteria for evaluation.
⩥ chaining. Answer: An instructional procedure that reinforces
individual responses in sequence, forming a complex behavior.
⩥ changing conditions design. Answer: A single-subject experimental
design that involves successively changing the conditions for response
performance in order to evaluate comparative effects. This design does
not demonstrate a functional relation between variables. Also called
ABC design
⩥ changing criterion design. Answer: A single-subject experimental
design that involves successively changing the criterion for
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ ABAB design (reversal design). Answer: An extension of the AB
design in which the independent variable is withdrawn and then
reapplied. This reversal design can demonstrate a functional relation
between dependent and independent variables.
⩥ abscissa. Answer: The horizontal or x axis of a graph. The time
dimension (sessions) is represented along the abscissa.
⩥ accountability. Answer: In education, the assessment of students'
progress on a regular basis and the publication of this assessment, as
well as goals, objectives, and procedures, to parents, school
administrators, and other parties with a right to the information.
⩥ acquisition. Answer: The basic level of student response competence.
It implies the student's ability to perform a newly learned response to
some criterion of accuracy.
⩥ alternating treatments design. Answer: A single-subject experimental
design that allows comparison of the effectiveness of two or more
treatments. It differs from other single-subject designs in that treatments
(sometimes including baseline) are alternated randomly rather than
,presented sequentially (also known as multiple schedule design, multi-
element baseline design, alternating conditions design).
⩥ antecedent stimulus. Answer: A stimulus that precedes a behavior.
This stimulus may or may not serve as discriminative for a specific
behavior.
⩥ applied behavior analysis. Answer: Systematic application of
behavioral principles to change socially significant behavior to a
meaningful degree. Research tools enable users of these principles to
verify a functional relation between a behavior and an intervention.
⩥ aversive stimulus. Answer: A stimulus that decreases the rate or
probability of a behavior when presented as a consequence; as such, it is
a type of punisher. Alternatively, an aversive stimulus may increase the
rate or probability of a behavior when removed as a consequence; as
such, it is a negative reinforcer.
⩥ backup reinforcer. Answer: An object or event received in exchange
for a specific number of tokens, points, etc.
⩥ bar graph. Answer: A graph that employs vertical bars rather than
horizontal lines to indicate levels of performance (also called a
histogram).
, ⩥ baseline data. Answer: Data points that reflect an operant level of the
target behavior. Operant level is the natural occurrence of the behavior
before intervention. Baseline data serve a purpose similar to that of a
pretest, to provide a level of behavior against which the results of an
intervention procedure can be compared
⩥ behavior. Answer: Any observable and measurable act of an
individual (also called a response).
⩥ behavioral objective. Answer: A statement that communicates a
proposed change in behavior. A behavioral objective must include
statements concerning the learner, the behavior, the conditions under
which the behavior will be performed, and the criteria for evaluation.
⩥ chaining. Answer: An instructional procedure that reinforces
individual responses in sequence, forming a complex behavior.
⩥ changing conditions design. Answer: A single-subject experimental
design that involves successively changing the conditions for response
performance in order to evaluate comparative effects. This design does
not demonstrate a functional relation between variables. Also called
ABC design
⩥ changing criterion design. Answer: A single-subject experimental
design that involves successively changing the criterion for
