BCBA Exam Prep
BCBA Exam Prep Questions and
Answers 2024
What are the common attitudes and assumptions of science? -answer- ✔determinism,
empiricism, experimentation, replication, parsimony, and philosophic doubt
Explain the difference between EAB and ABA -answer- ✔EAB involves basic research,
reporting only on basic behavior experiments whose primary goal is to discover and
clarify the basic principles of behavior and determine functional relations between
behavior and controlling variables.
ABA involves applied research and has the goal of creating a technology for improving
socially significant behavior and to determine functional relations between socially
significant behavior and controlling variables.
Describe the methodological features of EAB -answer- ✔rate of response is the most
common dependent variable; repeated or continuous measurement is made of carefully
defined response classes; within-subject experimental comparisons are used instead of
group designs; visual analysis of graphed data is preferred over statistical inference; a
description of functional relations is valued over formal theory testing.
5 functions/phases of behavioral assessment -answer- ✔a) screening, b) defining and
quantifying problems or goals, c) pinpointing the target behavior(s), d) monitoring
progress, e) following up
4 main methods for obtaining assessment information -answer- ✔interviews, checklists,
tests, and direct observation
What is an ecological assessment? -answer- ✔gathering a large amount of information
about the person and the environments in which that person lives and works; this type
of assessment is neither necessary nor warranted for most ABA programs
What is reactivity? -answer- ✔the effects of an assessment procedure on the behavior
being assessed, most likely during direct observation when the individual is aware they
are being observed
What questions should be asked to determine the social significance and habilitative
(adjustment, competence) value of a potential target behavior? -answer- ✔Will the
behavior be reinforced in the person's daily life?
Is the behavior a necessary prerequisite for a useful skill?
Will the behavior increase the person's access to environments in which other important
behaviors can be learned or used?
BCBA Exam Prep
, BCBA Exam Prep
Will the behavior predispose others to interact with the person in a more appropriate
and supportive manner?
Is the behavior a cusp or pivotal behavior?
Is the behavior age appropriate?
Does the behavior represent the actual problem or is it only indirectly related?
What are the two basic effects that a stimulus change has on behavior? -answer- ✔1.
an immediate but temporary effect of increasing or decreasing the current frequency of
the behavior (ex: a sudden downpour is likely to immediately increase the frequency of
all behavior that has resulted in the person successfully escaping the rain in the past)
2. a delayed but relatively permanent effect in terms of frequency of that type of
behavior in the future
(ex: if the individual decided not to take an umbrella the downpour will decrease the
frequency of that behavior on cloudy days in the future)
Explain higher order respondent conditioning -answer- ✔the process when a neutral
stimulus is paired with a conditioned stimulus producing a conditioned reflex
Describe respondent extinction -answer- ✔when a conditioned stimulus is presented
repeatedly without the unconditioned stimulus until the conditioned stimulus no longer
elicits the conditioned response
Define and describe the difference between ontogeny and phylogeny -answer- ✔The
former is the history of development of an individual organism during its lifetime. The
latter is the history of the natural evolution of a species.
Explain the multiple ways that consequences affect behavior (operant conditioning) -
answer- ✔Consequences can affect only future behavior.
Consequences select response classes, not individual responses.
Immediate consequences are most effective.
Consequences select any behavior that precedes them.
Operant conditioning occurs automatically.
Name the three dimensional quantities of behavior. -answer- ✔repeatability (count),
temporal extent (duration), and temporal locus (when behavior occurs)
Which type of interval recording overestimates behavior and which underestimates
behavior. -answer- ✔Whole-interval recording usually underestimates behavior and
partial interval recording overestimates behavior.
What behaviors are most appropriate for whole interval recording? -answer-
✔continuous behaviors (i.e. cooperative play) or behaviors that occur at high rates that
are difficult to differentiate from one occurrence to another (i.e. rocking or humming)
BCBA Exam Prep
BCBA Exam Prep Questions and
Answers 2024
What are the common attitudes and assumptions of science? -answer- ✔determinism,
empiricism, experimentation, replication, parsimony, and philosophic doubt
Explain the difference between EAB and ABA -answer- ✔EAB involves basic research,
reporting only on basic behavior experiments whose primary goal is to discover and
clarify the basic principles of behavior and determine functional relations between
behavior and controlling variables.
ABA involves applied research and has the goal of creating a technology for improving
socially significant behavior and to determine functional relations between socially
significant behavior and controlling variables.
Describe the methodological features of EAB -answer- ✔rate of response is the most
common dependent variable; repeated or continuous measurement is made of carefully
defined response classes; within-subject experimental comparisons are used instead of
group designs; visual analysis of graphed data is preferred over statistical inference; a
description of functional relations is valued over formal theory testing.
5 functions/phases of behavioral assessment -answer- ✔a) screening, b) defining and
quantifying problems or goals, c) pinpointing the target behavior(s), d) monitoring
progress, e) following up
4 main methods for obtaining assessment information -answer- ✔interviews, checklists,
tests, and direct observation
What is an ecological assessment? -answer- ✔gathering a large amount of information
about the person and the environments in which that person lives and works; this type
of assessment is neither necessary nor warranted for most ABA programs
What is reactivity? -answer- ✔the effects of an assessment procedure on the behavior
being assessed, most likely during direct observation when the individual is aware they
are being observed
What questions should be asked to determine the social significance and habilitative
(adjustment, competence) value of a potential target behavior? -answer- ✔Will the
behavior be reinforced in the person's daily life?
Is the behavior a necessary prerequisite for a useful skill?
Will the behavior increase the person's access to environments in which other important
behaviors can be learned or used?
BCBA Exam Prep
, BCBA Exam Prep
Will the behavior predispose others to interact with the person in a more appropriate
and supportive manner?
Is the behavior a cusp or pivotal behavior?
Is the behavior age appropriate?
Does the behavior represent the actual problem or is it only indirectly related?
What are the two basic effects that a stimulus change has on behavior? -answer- ✔1.
an immediate but temporary effect of increasing or decreasing the current frequency of
the behavior (ex: a sudden downpour is likely to immediately increase the frequency of
all behavior that has resulted in the person successfully escaping the rain in the past)
2. a delayed but relatively permanent effect in terms of frequency of that type of
behavior in the future
(ex: if the individual decided not to take an umbrella the downpour will decrease the
frequency of that behavior on cloudy days in the future)
Explain higher order respondent conditioning -answer- ✔the process when a neutral
stimulus is paired with a conditioned stimulus producing a conditioned reflex
Describe respondent extinction -answer- ✔when a conditioned stimulus is presented
repeatedly without the unconditioned stimulus until the conditioned stimulus no longer
elicits the conditioned response
Define and describe the difference between ontogeny and phylogeny -answer- ✔The
former is the history of development of an individual organism during its lifetime. The
latter is the history of the natural evolution of a species.
Explain the multiple ways that consequences affect behavior (operant conditioning) -
answer- ✔Consequences can affect only future behavior.
Consequences select response classes, not individual responses.
Immediate consequences are most effective.
Consequences select any behavior that precedes them.
Operant conditioning occurs automatically.
Name the three dimensional quantities of behavior. -answer- ✔repeatability (count),
temporal extent (duration), and temporal locus (when behavior occurs)
Which type of interval recording overestimates behavior and which underestimates
behavior. -answer- ✔Whole-interval recording usually underestimates behavior and
partial interval recording overestimates behavior.
What behaviors are most appropriate for whole interval recording? -answer-
✔continuous behaviors (i.e. cooperative play) or behaviors that occur at high rates that
are difficult to differentiate from one occurrence to another (i.e. rocking or humming)
BCBA Exam Prep
