Question 1

Which is NOT a characteristic of applied behavior analysis?

Accepted Answer

A)  describing behavior in a way that can be objectively measured 
B)  precisely describing procedures and the rationales for using them 
C)  an emphasis on the current function of the behavior in question 
D)  reliably determining the variables that initially caused the behavior

Question 2

Mrs. Carr's 4-year-old son, Jack, often interrupted her and asked her to play with him. Mrs. Carr would tell Jack that she would play later, but she often followed him and played for a few minutes. On a very busy day, Mrs. Carr told Jack that she could not play with him. Jack began to cry and ran out of the room. Mrs. Carr followed him, calmed him down, and played for a few minutes. This pattern was repeated several times so Mrs. Carr decided to be firm with Jack and to ignore future interruptions. The next day Jack came in sobbing and screaming, "Play now!" Mrs. Carr gave in and played with him. The most likely explanation for Jack's increasingly disruptive behavior is that:

Accepted Answer

A)  Mrs. Carr has used respondent conditioning to train Jack to scream for attention. 
B)  Jack is experiencing an extinction burst which will cease shortly. 
C)  Mrs. Carr has accidentally shaped a more intense interrupting behavior from Jack. 
D)  Mrs. Carr has negatively reinforced Jack's interrupting because he stops screaming when played with.

Question 3

Which measurement would be MOST useful when evaluating a procedure designed to teach a person to respond at a uniform pace?

Accepted Answer

A)  duration 
B)  inter-response time 
C)  latency 
D)  frequency

Question 4

One limitation of descriptive analysis is that it:

Accepted Answer

A)  does not allow the behavior analyst the opportunity to measure, record, and interpret the data on the target behavior. 
B)  does not permit the precise determination of functional relationships. 
C)  provides a less than adequate description of the topography and intensity of behavior. 
D)  violates the individual's right to privacy.

Question 5

A descriptive assessment generally includes all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A)  development of hypotheses. 
B)  gathering of historical information as well as current sources. 
C)  graphic representation of data. 
D)  manipulation of variables.

Question 6

By definition, a data recording system is valid if it:

Accepted Answer

A)  consistently measures the behavior. 
B)  has demonstrated social validity. 
C)  has high interobserver agreement. 
D)  measures what it is supposed to.

Question 7

When implementing punishment procedures, the behavior analyst:

Accepted Answer

A)  must include a reinforcement procedure. 
B)  can use punishment alone if a reinforcement procedure was not effective. 
C)  does not have to include a reinforcement procedure if consented to by the client. 
D)  is required to introduce a reinforcement procedure if the problem behavior increases.

Question 8

Once a stimulus has been determined to function as a reinforcer in a particular contingency, which of the following is likely to be true?

Accepted Answer

A)  The reinforcer should be adjusted to vary during the observation period. 
B)  The reinforcer should be used with others in the immediate environment. 
C)  The effect of the reinforcer may strengthen with relevant deprivation. 
D)  The effect of the reinforcer will weaken if a variable interval schedule is used.

Question 9

The systematic presentation and examination of information in an ABC format, where A represents the antecedent stimuli, B represents the behavior, and C represents the consequences following the behavior, is called.

Accepted Answer

A)  a consequence analysis. 
B)  a functional analysis. 
C)  a response analysis. 
D)  a descriptive assessment.

Question 10

A stimulus is defined as

Accepted Answer

A)  a change in behavior brought about by alterations of the physical environment. 
B)  a change in the environment that can affect behavior. 
C)  a change in the environment that elicits a response with or without prior conditioning. 
D)  any environmental event exclusive of private events.

Question 11

Each response in a chain produces a stimulus change that serves as both a discriminative stimulus and.

Accepted Answer

A)  a prompt. 
B)  a limited hold. 
C)  a conditioned reinforcer. 
D)  an establishing operation.

Question 12

Missy is using a multiple probe across participants design to evaluate the effects of peer tutoring to teach three students to complete division problems. These three students have had no prior instruction in division. Missy MOST LIKELY chose a multiple probe design rather than a multiple baseline design because.

Accepted Answer

A)  the students' baseline scores will be zero. 
B)  the students could not miss class very often. 
C)  other extraneous variables may cause their skills to improve. 
D)  she is interested in comparing the effects of three interventions at once.

Question 13

To definitively identify effective reinforcers for an individual, it is necessary to:

Accepted Answer

A)  complete a reinforcer assessment. 
B)  complete a preference assessment. 
C)  ascertain what reinforcers the individual has access to. 
D)  interview people who know the individual well.

Question 14

Robert has been referred because he is losing significant amounts of weight due to refusal of most foods. What should the behavior analyst consider first?

Accepted Answer

A)  possible medical conditions 
B)  meal content/texture of food 
C)  caloric content of preferred foods 
D)  ecological variables during mealtimes

Question 15

The matching law states that when responding is reinforced on concurrent VI-20 and VI-50 schedules, the:

Accepted Answer

A)  number of responses will match the number of reinforcers obtained. 
B)  proportion of responses for each alternative will become equal over time. 
C)  organism will respond exclusively to the alternative with the highest rate of reinforcement. 
D)  proportion of responses across the two alternatives will equal the proportion of reinforcers obtained for those alternatives.

Question 16

Which of the following would MOST clearly demonstrate a functional relationship?

Accepted Answer

A)  Conduct narrative recordings in various settings. Then compile a sequence analysis. 
B)  Directly observe environmental events and target behaviors as they normally occur in an unobtrusive manner, in the natural environment. 
C)  Execute repeated rapid alternations between different environmental conditions. Collect and graph data. 
D)  Use a scatterplot to both collect and graph data. When sufficient baseline data have been collected, complete a pattern analysis.

Question 17

A behavior analyst is doing some staff training in a facility. The first step is to have the staff read a "How To" manual. The behavior analyst notices that after reading the manual, staff seem to be doing some things specified in the readings, such as giving praise after adaptive behavior. This is an example of.

Accepted Answer

A)  backward chaining. 
B)  contingency-shaped behavior. 
C)  fading. 
D)  rule-governed behavior.

Question 18

When LeRoy sees his father arrive home, he begins to clean his room. Given this information, we can conclude ONLY that the father's arrival is:

Accepted Answer

A)  an antecedent. 
B)  a discriminative stimulus. 
C)  an establishing operation. 
D)  a visual prompt.

Question 19

A behavior analyst responsible for the evaluation of a behavior change program has been unable to get others to collect data on the targeted behaviors. The others involved, including other service providers, are relying on personal anecdotes and questionnaires to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. The primary consumer reports satisfaction with the results so far. To evaluate the program, the behavior analyst should:

Accepted Answer

A)  check the reliability from the questionnaire's information. 
B)  conduct formal interviews to supplement the available information. 
C)  obtain data on the targeted behaviors. 
D)  use available information only.

Question 20

Mary Lee has been working on compliance. Given the same mand, in a 15-min. segment, Mary Lee complied with her teacher 4/5 times, her speech therapist, physical education teacher and mother 2/5 times. Six months later, given the same mand, in a 15-min. segment, Mary Lee complied with the bus driver 4/5 times, her physical therapist 4/5 times, the lunch lady 4/5 times and the vice-principal 4/5 times. This scenario is an example of.

Accepted Answer

A)  response generalization. 
B)  stimulus discrimination. 
C)  stimulus generalization. 
D)  stimulus equivalence.

Exam 1: Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst