BCBA Exam Study Guide Questions
With Complete Solutions 2024
3 kPrinciples kof kBehavior k- kANS✓✓-reinforcement, kpunishment, kextinction
4 kFunctions kof kBehavior k- kANS✓✓-SEAT
Sensory, kescape/avoidance, kattention, ktangible
Anecdotal kData k- kANS✓✓-A kmethod kof kdescriptively krecording kthe kbehavior
kemitted kby kthe klearner, kthe kresponse kof kothers, kand kinformation kabout kthe
kenvironment.
Antecedent k- kANS✓✓-What koccurs kbefore ka kbehavior kthat kthen kinfluences
kbehavior; kan kenvironment kor ka kstimulus kchange kexisting kor koccurring kprior
kto ka kbehavior kof kinterest
Applied kBehavior kAnalysis k- kANS✓✓-The kscience kin kwhich ktactics kderived
kfrom kthe kprinciples kof kbehavior kare kapplied kto kimprove ksocially ksignificant
kbehavior kand kexperimentation kis kused kto kidentify kthe kvariables kresponsible
kfor kbehavior kchange; kThe kscientific kstudy kof kprinciples kof klearning kand
kbehavior
How kcould kyou kassist kin ktraining kstakeholders? k- kANS✓✓-Train kstakeholders
kby kgiving kthem kinstruction, kmodeling, krehearsal, kand kfeedback kwith kregard
kto kbehavior kskills ktraining
Attention kFunction k- kANS✓✓-A kfunction kof kbehavior kin kwhich kthe kindividual
kis kreinforced kby kreceiving kattention kfrom kothers.
Automatic kReinforcement k- kANS✓✓-(AKA kself-stimming) kThe kbehavior kitself
kis kreinforcing kand kis knot kdependent kon ksocial kinteraction kor kreceiving ka
ktangible kitem.
Backward kChaining k- kANS✓✓-Training kbegins kthe klink kwith kthe klast kbehavior
kin kthe ksequence.
Trainer kperforms kall kbut kthe klast kstep kuntil kthe klearner kmasters kthe klast
kstep. k
Then ktrainer kperforms kall kbut kthe klasts ktwo ksteps kuntil klearner kmasters kthe
klast ktwo ksteps kand kso kon.
,Baseline kData k- kANS✓✓-Data ktaken kbefore kan kintervention ktakes kplace. k
Describes kthe kexisting klevel kof kperformance.
Chaining k- kANS✓✓-A kspecific ksequence kof kdiscrete kresponses, keach
kassociated kwith ka kparticular kstimulus kcondition.
When kcomponents kare klinked ktogether, kthey kform ka kchain kthat kproduces ka
kterminal koutcome.
Components kof ka kWritten kBehavior kPlan k- kANS✓✓-1. kIdentify, kdescribe,
kcreate ka kgoal kfor ka kbehavior kin kobservable kterms.
2. kAssess kantecedent/consequence kthat kmay kmaintain kbehavior.
3. kIdentify khypothesis kof kfunction kof kbehavior.
4. kIdentify kpossible kreplacement kbehaviors.
5. kSelect kand kimplement kantecedent/consequence kbased kinterventions.
6. kCreate kcrisis kintervention kplan. k
7. kImplementation, kmodification, kgeneralization kand kmaintenance kprocedures.
Conditioned kResponse k- kANS✓✓-A kbehavior kthat kdoes knot kcome knaturally,
kbut kmust kbe klearning kby kthe kindividual kby kpairing ka kneutral kstimulus kwith
kan kunconditioned kstimulus.
Conditioned kStimulus k- kANS✓✓-A kprevious kneutral kstimulus kthat, kafter
krepeated kassociation kwith kan kunconditioned kstimulus, kelicits kthe kresponse
kproduced kby kthe kunconditioned kstimulus kitself.
Consequence k- kANS✓✓-Events kthat kfollow kbehavior kand kmay kinfluence kit
kincluding kincreasing kor kdecreasing kit kin kthe kfuture; kmay kbe kreinforcers kor
kpunishers.
Contingency k- kANS✓✓-Refers kto kan kif k_______, kthen k________ krelationship
kbetween ka kbehavior kand ka kconsequence.
Continuous kReinforcement kSchedule k- kANS✓✓-Reinforcing kone kresponse
kclass kand kwithholding kreinforcement kfrom kanother kresponse kclass; kbehavior
kreceiving kreinforcement kshould kincrease kwhile kthe kbehavior kfor kwhich
kreinforcement kis kbeing kwithheld kshould kdecrease.
Differential kReinforcement kof kAlternative kBehaviors k(DRA) k- kANS✓✓-Focus
kon kincreasing ka kdesirable kalternative kbehavior kthat kdirectly kor kindirectly
kinterfere kwith kthe kperformance kof kthe kundesired ktarget kbehavior k(i.e.,
kreinforce kknitting kor kgiving kself kmanicure kinstead kof kbiting knails; kreinforce
kappropriate klanguage kuse kinstead kof kpunishing kswearing kat kothers)
Differential kReinforcement kof kIncompatible kBehaviors k(DRI) k- kANS✓✓-Similar
kto kDRA kbut kyou kchoose kan kalternative kbehavior kto kreinforce kthat, kif
, kperformed, kwould kbe kincompatible kwith kundesired ktarget kbehavior k(i.e.,
kplaying knicely kvs. kfighting; kon-task kbehavior kvs. koff-task kbehavior; kin kseat
kvs. kout kof kseat; kdeep kbreathing kvs. kyelling)
Differential kReinforcement kof kLow kRates k(DRL) k- kANS✓✓-Entails kreinforcing
kfor kreductions kin kthe kfrequency kof kthe kundesired kbehavior. kOften kused
kwhen kan kindividual kis kengaging kin ka kbehavior ktoo kfrequently k(bathroom,
kcalling kout)
Differential kReinforcement kof kOther kBehaviors k(DRO) k- kANS✓✓-Providing ka
kreinforcer kafter ka kparticular ktime kframe kwithout kthe ktarget kbehavior k(i.e.,
kengaging kin kany kother kbehavior kexcept kthe ktarget kbehavior) kE.g., kevery k5
kminutes kwithout khitting, kindividual kreceives ka ksticker.
Direct kObservation kPreference kAssessment k- kANS✓✓-Identify kwhat kis
kmotivating kthe kindividual.
The kmore ktime kspent kwith kan kitem, kthe kstronger kthe kpresumed kpreference.
Discrete kTrial kTraining k- kANS✓✓-Structured kinstructional kmethodology kused
kto kteach knew kbehaviors; kDesigned kto kmaximize ka klearner's kpotential kby
kpresenting kinformation kin ka kthree-part kteaching kunit; kBased kon kAntecedent-
Behavior-Consequence k(A.k.a kABC; kStimulus-Response-Consequence); kMain
kobjective kis kto kteach kchildren khow kto klearn kfrom ktheir knatural kenvironment
kand kmake klearning kreinforcing.
Discrimination kTraining k- kANS✓✓-Procedure kto kteach kbetween ktwo ktargets.
Trial ktraining kusing kphases.
(i.e. kphases k1 k- k6 kMass kTrials kof ktarget, kBlock kTrials, kand kRandom kRotation)
Discriminative kStimulus k(SD) k- kANS✓✓-Environmental kcue kor kinstruction kthat
ksignals kthat kreinforcement kis kavailable kfor ka ktarget kbehavior; ka ktype kof
kstimulus kthat kis kused kconsistently kto kgain ka kspecific kresponse kand kthat
kincreases kthe kpossibility kthat kthe kdesired kresponse kwill koccur.
Duration kData k- kANS✓✓-Data kthat kis ka kcalculation kof kthe kamount kof ktime ka
kbehavior koccurs.
The kamount kof ktime ka kresponse kis kperformed.
Track kfrom konset kto koffset.
Typically kused kfor kbehaviors kthat klast ktoo klong kor ktoo kshort. k(i.e. kon ktask
kbehavior, ksocial kinteractions, kengaging kin kstereotypy)
Echoic k- kANS✓✓-A ktype kof kverbal koperant kthat koccurs kwhen kthe kspeaker
krepeats kthe kverbal kbehavior kof kanother kspeaker; kOccurs kin kresponse kto
kother kverbal kbehavior; kListener kis k"echoing" kwhat kthey khear
With Complete Solutions 2024
3 kPrinciples kof kBehavior k- kANS✓✓-reinforcement, kpunishment, kextinction
4 kFunctions kof kBehavior k- kANS✓✓-SEAT
Sensory, kescape/avoidance, kattention, ktangible
Anecdotal kData k- kANS✓✓-A kmethod kof kdescriptively krecording kthe kbehavior
kemitted kby kthe klearner, kthe kresponse kof kothers, kand kinformation kabout kthe
kenvironment.
Antecedent k- kANS✓✓-What koccurs kbefore ka kbehavior kthat kthen kinfluences
kbehavior; kan kenvironment kor ka kstimulus kchange kexisting kor koccurring kprior
kto ka kbehavior kof kinterest
Applied kBehavior kAnalysis k- kANS✓✓-The kscience kin kwhich ktactics kderived
kfrom kthe kprinciples kof kbehavior kare kapplied kto kimprove ksocially ksignificant
kbehavior kand kexperimentation kis kused kto kidentify kthe kvariables kresponsible
kfor kbehavior kchange; kThe kscientific kstudy kof kprinciples kof klearning kand
kbehavior
How kcould kyou kassist kin ktraining kstakeholders? k- kANS✓✓-Train kstakeholders
kby kgiving kthem kinstruction, kmodeling, krehearsal, kand kfeedback kwith kregard
kto kbehavior kskills ktraining
Attention kFunction k- kANS✓✓-A kfunction kof kbehavior kin kwhich kthe kindividual
kis kreinforced kby kreceiving kattention kfrom kothers.
Automatic kReinforcement k- kANS✓✓-(AKA kself-stimming) kThe kbehavior kitself
kis kreinforcing kand kis knot kdependent kon ksocial kinteraction kor kreceiving ka
ktangible kitem.
Backward kChaining k- kANS✓✓-Training kbegins kthe klink kwith kthe klast kbehavior
kin kthe ksequence.
Trainer kperforms kall kbut kthe klast kstep kuntil kthe klearner kmasters kthe klast
kstep. k
Then ktrainer kperforms kall kbut kthe klasts ktwo ksteps kuntil klearner kmasters kthe
klast ktwo ksteps kand kso kon.
,Baseline kData k- kANS✓✓-Data ktaken kbefore kan kintervention ktakes kplace. k
Describes kthe kexisting klevel kof kperformance.
Chaining k- kANS✓✓-A kspecific ksequence kof kdiscrete kresponses, keach
kassociated kwith ka kparticular kstimulus kcondition.
When kcomponents kare klinked ktogether, kthey kform ka kchain kthat kproduces ka
kterminal koutcome.
Components kof ka kWritten kBehavior kPlan k- kANS✓✓-1. kIdentify, kdescribe,
kcreate ka kgoal kfor ka kbehavior kin kobservable kterms.
2. kAssess kantecedent/consequence kthat kmay kmaintain kbehavior.
3. kIdentify khypothesis kof kfunction kof kbehavior.
4. kIdentify kpossible kreplacement kbehaviors.
5. kSelect kand kimplement kantecedent/consequence kbased kinterventions.
6. kCreate kcrisis kintervention kplan. k
7. kImplementation, kmodification, kgeneralization kand kmaintenance kprocedures.
Conditioned kResponse k- kANS✓✓-A kbehavior kthat kdoes knot kcome knaturally,
kbut kmust kbe klearning kby kthe kindividual kby kpairing ka kneutral kstimulus kwith
kan kunconditioned kstimulus.
Conditioned kStimulus k- kANS✓✓-A kprevious kneutral kstimulus kthat, kafter
krepeated kassociation kwith kan kunconditioned kstimulus, kelicits kthe kresponse
kproduced kby kthe kunconditioned kstimulus kitself.
Consequence k- kANS✓✓-Events kthat kfollow kbehavior kand kmay kinfluence kit
kincluding kincreasing kor kdecreasing kit kin kthe kfuture; kmay kbe kreinforcers kor
kpunishers.
Contingency k- kANS✓✓-Refers kto kan kif k_______, kthen k________ krelationship
kbetween ka kbehavior kand ka kconsequence.
Continuous kReinforcement kSchedule k- kANS✓✓-Reinforcing kone kresponse
kclass kand kwithholding kreinforcement kfrom kanother kresponse kclass; kbehavior
kreceiving kreinforcement kshould kincrease kwhile kthe kbehavior kfor kwhich
kreinforcement kis kbeing kwithheld kshould kdecrease.
Differential kReinforcement kof kAlternative kBehaviors k(DRA) k- kANS✓✓-Focus
kon kincreasing ka kdesirable kalternative kbehavior kthat kdirectly kor kindirectly
kinterfere kwith kthe kperformance kof kthe kundesired ktarget kbehavior k(i.e.,
kreinforce kknitting kor kgiving kself kmanicure kinstead kof kbiting knails; kreinforce
kappropriate klanguage kuse kinstead kof kpunishing kswearing kat kothers)
Differential kReinforcement kof kIncompatible kBehaviors k(DRI) k- kANS✓✓-Similar
kto kDRA kbut kyou kchoose kan kalternative kbehavior kto kreinforce kthat, kif
, kperformed, kwould kbe kincompatible kwith kundesired ktarget kbehavior k(i.e.,
kplaying knicely kvs. kfighting; kon-task kbehavior kvs. koff-task kbehavior; kin kseat
kvs. kout kof kseat; kdeep kbreathing kvs. kyelling)
Differential kReinforcement kof kLow kRates k(DRL) k- kANS✓✓-Entails kreinforcing
kfor kreductions kin kthe kfrequency kof kthe kundesired kbehavior. kOften kused
kwhen kan kindividual kis kengaging kin ka kbehavior ktoo kfrequently k(bathroom,
kcalling kout)
Differential kReinforcement kof kOther kBehaviors k(DRO) k- kANS✓✓-Providing ka
kreinforcer kafter ka kparticular ktime kframe kwithout kthe ktarget kbehavior k(i.e.,
kengaging kin kany kother kbehavior kexcept kthe ktarget kbehavior) kE.g., kevery k5
kminutes kwithout khitting, kindividual kreceives ka ksticker.
Direct kObservation kPreference kAssessment k- kANS✓✓-Identify kwhat kis
kmotivating kthe kindividual.
The kmore ktime kspent kwith kan kitem, kthe kstronger kthe kpresumed kpreference.
Discrete kTrial kTraining k- kANS✓✓-Structured kinstructional kmethodology kused
kto kteach knew kbehaviors; kDesigned kto kmaximize ka klearner's kpotential kby
kpresenting kinformation kin ka kthree-part kteaching kunit; kBased kon kAntecedent-
Behavior-Consequence k(A.k.a kABC; kStimulus-Response-Consequence); kMain
kobjective kis kto kteach kchildren khow kto klearn kfrom ktheir knatural kenvironment
kand kmake klearning kreinforcing.
Discrimination kTraining k- kANS✓✓-Procedure kto kteach kbetween ktwo ktargets.
Trial ktraining kusing kphases.
(i.e. kphases k1 k- k6 kMass kTrials kof ktarget, kBlock kTrials, kand kRandom kRotation)
Discriminative kStimulus k(SD) k- kANS✓✓-Environmental kcue kor kinstruction kthat
ksignals kthat kreinforcement kis kavailable kfor ka ktarget kbehavior; ka ktype kof
kstimulus kthat kis kused kconsistently kto kgain ka kspecific kresponse kand kthat
kincreases kthe kpossibility kthat kthe kdesired kresponse kwill koccur.
Duration kData k- kANS✓✓-Data kthat kis ka kcalculation kof kthe kamount kof ktime ka
kbehavior koccurs.
The kamount kof ktime ka kresponse kis kperformed.
Track kfrom konset kto koffset.
Typically kused kfor kbehaviors kthat klast ktoo klong kor ktoo kshort. k(i.e. kon ktask
kbehavior, ksocial kinteractions, kengaging kin kstereotypy)
Echoic k- kANS✓✓-A ktype kof kverbal koperant kthat koccurs kwhen kthe kspeaker
krepeats kthe kverbal kbehavior kof kanother kspeaker; kOccurs kin kresponse kto
kother kverbal kbehavior; kListener kis k"echoing" kwhat kthey khear
