Q&A Hero

Q: When implementing a reinforcement contingency, it is acceptable to wait 30 s following the emission of a target response to deliver the reinforcer.

Q: The behavior that occurs temporally closest to the presentation of a reinforcer will be strengthened by its presentation.

Q: The stimulus change responsible for increasing responding is called a reinforcer.

Q: If one wants to determine the effectiveness of a stimulus as a reinforcer as the requirements to earn that reinforcer change over time, which assessment method would be most appropriate?a) Concurrent schedule assessmentb) Multiple schedule assessmentc) Progressive-ratio schedule assessmentd) Paired stimulus assessment

Q: If one compares the effects of response dependent delivery of a stimulus to a response independent schedule delivery of a stimulus to analyze whether or not the stimulus serves as a reinforcer, which assessment method is one using? a) Concurrent schedule assessment b) Multiple schedule assessment c) Progressive-ratio schedule assessment d) Paired stimulus assessment

Q: If one wants to determine the effectiveness of a stimulus as a reinforcer relative to another stimulus, which assessment method would be most appropriate? a) Concurrent schedule assessment b) Multiple schedule assessment c) Progressive-ratio schedule assessment d) Paired stimulus assessment

Q: Elsa conducted a preference assessment for Jordan, a 5 year-old-boy with autism with whom she works. She arranged 10 stimuli on a table and allowed him a little time to interact with the stimuli prior to the assessment. Then, she began her assessment, allowing Jordan to select a stimulus and play with it. When Jordan finished playing with that item, Elsa put the toy away and allowed Jordan to select another toy. She repeated this procedure until there were only 3 toys left. What form of preference assessment is this? a) Forced choice b) Survey c) Multiple stimulus d) Single stimulus

Q: An advantage to survey methods of evaluating preference is that they are relatively uncomplicated to conduct. A disadvantage of such methods is: a) They may not yield any more accurate information than chance. b) They can trigger disruptive behavior. c) They are relatively time consuming to conduct. d) It is impossible to conduct them with learners who have limited language skills.

Q: An s-delta is a) A stimulus in the presence of which reinforcement is withheld if a target response occurs. b) A stimulus in the presence of which reinforcement is delivered if a target response occurs. c) The same thing as a discriminative stimulus. d) A consequence event.

Q: One can identify whether an argument is circular reasoning: a) By evaluating the direction of the relation (e.g., Sallys off-task behavior is due to her attention deficit disorder vs. Sallys attention deficit disorder causes her off-task behavior) b) By evaluating whether the two components of the argument can be separated and whether one can be manipulated to determine the effect on the other c) Both A and B d) Neither A nor B

Q: What is the advantage of using generalized conditioned reinforcers? a) They are less susceptible to satiation because they can be exchanged for a wide variety of other reinforcers. b) They are easier for children to obtain than other forms of reinforcement. c) They are negative reinforcers, which are more powerful than positive reinforcers. d) None of these are advantages of generalized reinforcers.

Q: The Premack Principle is useful for: a) Increasing high probability behaviors. b) Decreasing high probability behaviors. c) Increasing low probability behaviors. d) Decreasing low probability behaviors.

Q: Unconditioned reinforcers are: a) Stimuli, such as praise, that individuals have to learn to like through pairing with other unconditioned reinforcers. b) Stimuli, such as rock music, that were once punishing (aversive) but are now things the individual likes. c) Stimuli, like meat powder, that cause reflex actions to occur. d) Stimuli, such as food and water that are inherently reinforcing for individuals.

Q: National Public Radio (NPR) often holds fund drives to raise money for their radio stations. They frequently offer prizes for people who donate a certain amount of money. For example, they might offer a CD for those who donate at least $50 to the station. Its not clear whether this actually increases donations. What can we say about this situation? a) The CDs function as a reinforcer for donating money. b) The money functions as a reinforcer for getting a CD. c) The CDs function as a reward for donating money. d) The money functions as a reward for getting a CD.

Q: Which of the following is/are conditioned reinforcers? a) Food b) Money c) Tokens d) Sleep e) A & D f) B & C g) All of the above are conditioned reinforcers

Q: Which of the following represents an example of the Premack Principle? a) Telling a child to eat his vegetables or he must go to time out. b) Explaining to a child why it is a good thing to eat vegetables. c) Telling a child to eat his vegetables, then he can have dessert. d) Allowing a child to have dessert first if he promises to eat his vegetables later.

Q: Assume you have a student in class, Ben, who becomes severely aggressive whenever another student takes his toys away from him. When Ben hits them, the other children tend to return the toys they took away from him. What can be said about this situation? a) Bens aggression has been positively reinforced by the children returning the toy to him. b) Bens aggression has been negatively reinforced by the children taking the toy away from him. c) Bens aggression has been punished (via presentation) by the children returning the toy to him. d) Bens aggression has been punished (via removal) by the children taking the toy away from him. e) There is not enough information to answer this question.

Q: Ms. Franklin conducted a survey with her class to identify stimuli that might serve as reinforcers. All of the students in her class indicated that extra recess time and pencils would be some things they would like to earn. She then collected baseline data on the number of math problems each student correctly completes during seatwork time. Following this, she told her students they can have 5 minutes of extra recess if they complete 5 more math problems during seatwork time today than they did yesterday. Each day, she increased the number of math problems the students needed to complete to earn extra recess. She kept a graph of the results, which is shown below. What can be said about what she has done? a) She has demonstrated that extra recess functions as a punisher for work completion. b) She has demonstrated that pencils have no effect on work completion. c) She has demonstrated that extra recess functions as a reinforcer for work completion. d) She has demonstrated that pencils are a reinforcer for work completion.

Q: Lets look at this scenario from another point of view. The parents of the child in Question 2 are very tired because they work hard and are trying to raise a young child. The child begins crying. When they put the child in their own bed, the child stops crying. Therefore, in the future, they are more likely to put the child in their own bed. What has occurred in this situation? a) The parents have been reinforced for putting the child in their bed via positive reinforcement. b) The parents have been reinforced for putting the child in their bed via negative reinforcement. c) The parents have been punished for putting the child in their bed via punishment by removal. d) The parents have been punished for putting the child in their bed via punishment by presentation. e) There is not enough information to answer this question.

Q: Here is a common situation: New parents put a child to bed. The child begins to cry, so the parents comfort the child and allow the child to sleep in bed with them. Thus, when they put the child to bed in the future, she is more likely to cry. What has occurred in this situation? a) The parents have positively reinforced crying. b) The parents have negatively reinforced crying. c) The parents have punished crying by removing the childs bed. d) The parents have punished crying by presenting a stimulus. e) There is not enough information to answer this question.

Q: Assume you give a student in your class a forced-choice preference assessment. On this preference assessment, computer time was ranked highest (that is, it was selected the most frequently). What can you say about computer time, based on this information? a) Computer time is a reinforcer for this student. b) Computer time may be a reinforcer for this student. c) Computer time is a punisher for this student. d) Computer time is a non-preferred stimulus.

Q: One advantage to free operant preference assessments is: a) There is less potential for children to satiate on the stimuli than with forced choice and approach responding assessments. b) There can be less time consuming than forced choice and approach responding assessments. c) They provide a rank order of preferences, unlike forced choice assessments. d) All of these are advantages to the free operant preference assessment.

Q: Baer, Wolf, and Risley (1987) argue that applied behavior analysis must shift its emphasis away from simply demonstrating behavior change. What is the more important focus in their opinion?

Q: What are the four factors that favor visual analysis of data over tests of statistical significance in applied behavior analysis?

Q: Compare and contrast two methods for validating the social importance of behavior change.

Q: Describe three methods for measuring social validity of a behavior change.

Q: Define external validity and describe how the generality of research findings is established in applied behavior analysis.

Q: Why is a precise operational definition of the target behavior critical in applied behavior analysis?

Q: Define treatment drift and explain the threat it poses to research outcomes.

Q: What are two reasons that is it important to know the individual tactics of experimental designs even though there are no strict rules for experimental design in applied behavior analysis?

Q: Compare the different ways that variability in the data is treated with individual subject designs and group comparison designs.

Q: Explain why the behavior of individual subjects is of primary interest in applied behavior analysis.

Q: TRUE OR FALSE. All studies that demonstrate a functional relation between the independent variable and a socially important target behavior make a significant contribution to the field of applied behavior analysis.

Q: TRUE OR FALSE. External validity refers to the degree to which a functional relation found reliable and socially valid in one circumstance will hold under different conditions.

Q: TRUE OR FALSE. Placebo control is designed to separate any effects that may be produced by a subjects expectations of improvement due to treatment from actual effects of treatment.

Q: TRUE OR FALSE. With proper experimental design, the experimenter can control all aspects of a subjects behavior.

Q: TRUE OR FALSE. Statistical manipulation can control the variables responsible for variability in the data.

Q: In order to evaluate the internal validity of applied behavior analysis research, all of the following should be considered except a. Meaningfulness of baseline conditions b. Experimental design c. Measurement procedures d. Conceptual sense

Q: The most frequently used method of demonstrating generality in the applied behavior analysis research literature is a. Direct replication b. Systematic replication c. Intrasubject verification d. Treatment reversal

Q: The generality of research findings in applied behavior analysis is assessed, established, and specified through a. Verification of baseline logic b. Replication c. Social validation d. External validity

Q: Which of the following is not a measure of the social validity of in applied behavior analysis? a. The social significance of the target behavior b. The appropriateness of the procedures c. The magnitude of behavior change d. The social importance of the results

Q: The extent to which the independent variable is implemented as planned is called a. Treatment integrity b. Procedural fidelity c. Experimental control d. Both A and B e. Both A and C

Q: All of the following are potential confounds to internal validity except a. Generalization b. Maturation c. Observer drift d. Treatment drift

Q: The term used to signify a researchers ability to reliably produce a specified behavior change by manipulating an independent variable is a. Internal validity b. External validity c. Control of behavior d. Experimental control

Q: All of the following are elements of baseline-logic except a. Prediction b. Functional Relation c. Replication d. Verification

Q: All of the following are concerns with typical group-comparison designs except a. Group data may not represent the performance of individuals b. Group data masks variability c. Performance averages are not statistically significant d. Intrasubject replication is not present

Q: The subject matter of behavior analysis is the: a. Activity of living organisms b. Challenging behavior of individuals with disabilities c. Conditioned behavior d. Effective behavior change treatments

Q: TRUE or FALSE. An advantage of the changing criterion design is that the behavior must already be in the participants repertoire.

Q: TRUE or FALSE. The believability of the changing criterion design is enhanced if a previous criterion is reinstated and the participants behavior reverses to the previous level.

Q: TRUE or FALSE. One advantage of a multiple baseline design is possibility of co-variation between different behaviors.

Q: TRUE or FALSE. The length of the baseline phases for the different behaviors in a multiple baseline design should differ significantly.

Q: Which of the following are the advantages of the changing criterion design? A. It is the least complicated experimental B. It does not require a withdrawal phase C. It allows for experimental analysis while gradually improving behavior D. Both B and C.

Q: All of the following are required to determine the potential of a changing criterion design to demonstrate experimental control except the A. Length of phase B. Latency of criterion changes C. Number of criterion changes D. Magnitude of criterion changes

Q: In a changing criterion design, when the participants behavior closely conforms to the gradually changing performance criteria, then ___________ has been established. A. Magnitude of behavior change B. Experimental control C. Effective intervention D. Reliability

Q: In a changing criterion design, reinforcement is usually contingent upon A. Duration of intervention B. Establishment of experimental control C. Number of experimental sessions D. Performance at a specified level

Q: The ______________ design can be used to evaluate the effects of treatment on the gradual improvement of behavior already in the participants repertoire. A. Multiple baseline B. Reversal C. Changing criterion D. Multielement designs

Q: The independent variable should be applied to the behavior that A. Shows the most stable level during baseline B. Was identified first C. Is measured earlier in the day D. Has the greatest likelihood of responding to the intervention

Q: Behaviors selected for study with a multiple baseline design should A. Be functionally independent B. Be easy to change C. Co-vary D. Be related to one another

Q: All of the following are variations of the multiple baseline design except _________. A. Multiple baseline across behaviors B. Multiple baseline across participants C. Multiple baseline across settings D. Multiple baseline across interventions

Q: The multiple probe design is effective for situations in which A. An intervention can be easily withdrawn from an environment B. The participants skills are expected to increase incrementally over time C. Prolonged baselines are not appropriate D. The participant is expected to acquire discrete behaviors

Q: When each behavior changes when, and only when, the independent variable is applied then _______________ has been demonstrated. A. Extraneous control B. Experimental control C. Control of relevant variables D. Effective intervention

Q: The ______________ design is the most widely used experimental design in applied behavior analysis. A. Multiple baseline B. Reversal C. Changing criterion D. Multielement designs

Q: What two problems can occur if the criterion changes are too large from one phase to another?

Q: Describe the three features of a changing criterion design that combine to demonstrate experimental control.

Q: What are three situations in which a delayed multiple baseline provides an appropriate tactic for analyzing behavior?

Q: Explain the capacity and limitations of baseline measures of each tier in a delayed multiple baseline design to verify predictions for subsequent behaviors.

Q: Describe the basic methodology of implementing a multiple probe design and what type of analysis for which it is particularly suited.

Q: Describe the basic methodology of implementing a multiple baseline design across behaviors.

Q: Identify three potential limitations to using a delayed multiple baseline.

Q: Identify two conditions that make a multiple probe design appropriate for evaluating behavior change.

Q: Explain how experimental control is demonstrated in a multiple baseline across settings design.

Q: Compare the three basic forms of the multiple baseline design.

Q: TRUE or FALSE. Conducting a reversal phase in one or more tiers of a multiple baseline design can weaken the demonstration of experimental control.

Q: Given a graph illustrating an experimental design identify the design and describe the next steps to demonstrate experimental control. (a) (b) (c) (d)

Q: Given a research question describe an appropriate research design. a. You are interested in the effects of contingent attention on students study behaviors. b. You are interested in comparing the effects of two distinctly different study session procedures on next session quiz scores. c. You are interested in the effects of response cost on students disruptive behaviors.

Q: Given the following experimental designs state an advantage and disadvantage. a. A-B-A b. Alternating Treatments Design

Q: Given the following experimental designs describe the logic and how experimental control would be demonstrated. a. Reversal design b. Alternating Treatments Design

Q: Given the following experimental designs diagram an example of how it would be implemented. a. A-B-A b. A-B-A-B c. Alternating Treatments Design d. Multiple Treatment Reversal Design

Q: Match the name of the experimental tactic described in each of the following: A A-B-A design B A-B-A-B design C Alternating treatments design D B-A-B design E DRI/DRA reversal technique F DRO reversal technique This analytic tactic is also referred to in the literature as a multi-element design, multiple schedule design, concurrent schedule design, and simultaneous treatment design.

Q: Match the name of the experimental tactic described in each of the following: A A-B-A design B A-B-A-B design C Alternating treatments design D B-A-B design E DRI/DRA reversal technique F DRO reversal technique When implemented completely an advantage of this variation of a reversal design ends with the treatment condition in place.