BCAT Exam Questions With 100% Correct
Answers
Motivating Operations (MO)
An environmental variable that alters the reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event.
Contingency
Refers to dependent and/or temporal relations between operant behavior an it's controlling
variables.
Satiation
Repeated presentation of a reinforcer weakens its effectiveness and for this reason the rate of
responses declines.
Positive Reinforcement
A type of reinforcement in which the presentation of the stimulus is contingent upon the response,
resulting in an increase in the future probability of that response
Negative Reinforcement
A type of reinforcement in which removal of a stimulus is contingent on a response, resulting in an
increase in the future probability of that response.
Positive Punishment
A type of punishment in which stimulus presentation is contingent on a response, resulting in the
decrease of the future probability of that response
Negative Punishment
A type of punishment in which stimulus removal is contingent on a response, resulting in the decrease
of the future probability of that response.
Establishing Operations (EO)
Increases motivation for something and increases likelihood you will try to access that reinforcer
Abolishing Operations (AO)
Decreases motivation for something and decreases likelihood you will try to access that reinforcer
Discriminative Stimulus (SD)
A stimulus in the presence of which a particular response will be reinforced and in the absence of
which that response will not be reinf
Stimulus Control (Discriminative Control)
The tendency for the target behavior to occur in the presence of the SD (b/c it was reinforced in the
past)
Discrimination Training
Teach the child to respond to/tell the difference between two (or more) SDs.
, Discrete Trial Training (DTT)
A specific method of teaching in which a task is isolated and taught across multiple trials. A specific
opportunity (antecedent) is presented and a specific response is expected. A consequence follows the
response.
Fluency-Based Training
Taking an existing skill and increasing accuracy and speed of skill performance in order to develop
competence
Errorless Learning
Involves early and immediate prompting of the target response so that the learner's response is sure
to be correct.
Most-to-Least Prompting
Fading from one type of prompt to another less intrusive prompt. Most assistance to least assistance.
Least-to-Most Prompting
Staring with a least intrusive prompt possible and the client is not successful, therefore having to
move to more intrusive prompts until the client responds.
Chaining
A chain of sequence of SDs and responses where each response in the sequence (expect for the last
one) produces the SD for the next response in the sequence; A complex bx that is comprised of many
single responses that occur in a specific sequence
Forward Chaining
Begin with the first SD-Response component in the chain and then continue forward though the
remaining SD-Response components
Backward Chaining
Begin with the final step, or the last SD-Response component, then move backwards towards the
remaining components
Total Task Presentation
All of the SD-Response components of the chain are taught during every learning trial. A reinforcer is
delivered after each SD-Response component.
Shaping
Systematically reinforcing successive approximations of a target bx while extinguishing previous
approximations.
Noncontingent Reinforcer
The delivery of functional reinforcers on a time based schedule, independent of the problem behavior
Answers
Motivating Operations (MO)
An environmental variable that alters the reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event.
Contingency
Refers to dependent and/or temporal relations between operant behavior an it's controlling
variables.
Satiation
Repeated presentation of a reinforcer weakens its effectiveness and for this reason the rate of
responses declines.
Positive Reinforcement
A type of reinforcement in which the presentation of the stimulus is contingent upon the response,
resulting in an increase in the future probability of that response
Negative Reinforcement
A type of reinforcement in which removal of a stimulus is contingent on a response, resulting in an
increase in the future probability of that response.
Positive Punishment
A type of punishment in which stimulus presentation is contingent on a response, resulting in the
decrease of the future probability of that response
Negative Punishment
A type of punishment in which stimulus removal is contingent on a response, resulting in the decrease
of the future probability of that response.
Establishing Operations (EO)
Increases motivation for something and increases likelihood you will try to access that reinforcer
Abolishing Operations (AO)
Decreases motivation for something and decreases likelihood you will try to access that reinforcer
Discriminative Stimulus (SD)
A stimulus in the presence of which a particular response will be reinforced and in the absence of
which that response will not be reinf
Stimulus Control (Discriminative Control)
The tendency for the target behavior to occur in the presence of the SD (b/c it was reinforced in the
past)
Discrimination Training
Teach the child to respond to/tell the difference between two (or more) SDs.
, Discrete Trial Training (DTT)
A specific method of teaching in which a task is isolated and taught across multiple trials. A specific
opportunity (antecedent) is presented and a specific response is expected. A consequence follows the
response.
Fluency-Based Training
Taking an existing skill and increasing accuracy and speed of skill performance in order to develop
competence
Errorless Learning
Involves early and immediate prompting of the target response so that the learner's response is sure
to be correct.
Most-to-Least Prompting
Fading from one type of prompt to another less intrusive prompt. Most assistance to least assistance.
Least-to-Most Prompting
Staring with a least intrusive prompt possible and the client is not successful, therefore having to
move to more intrusive prompts until the client responds.
Chaining
A chain of sequence of SDs and responses where each response in the sequence (expect for the last
one) produces the SD for the next response in the sequence; A complex bx that is comprised of many
single responses that occur in a specific sequence
Forward Chaining
Begin with the first SD-Response component in the chain and then continue forward though the
remaining SD-Response components
Backward Chaining
Begin with the final step, or the last SD-Response component, then move backwards towards the
remaining components
Total Task Presentation
All of the SD-Response components of the chain are taught during every learning trial. A reinforcer is
delivered after each SD-Response component.
Shaping
Systematically reinforcing successive approximations of a target bx while extinguishing previous
approximations.
Noncontingent Reinforcer
The delivery of functional reinforcers on a time based schedule, independent of the problem behavior
