BCAT STUDY GUIDE 2026 COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS
◉ Example: Sally took off her shoe independently yesterday, her mother
clapped her hands and said "Way to go Sally!" Sally took her shoes off
today independently again. The clapping and "way to go" were the
positive reinforcer for taking her shoes off independently.. Answer:
positive reinforcement
◉ Negative reinforcement. Answer: 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.
◉ When you start your car, an annoying noise is sounded. The noise
turns off when you put your seatbelt on. The next time you get in the car
you put your seat belt on before you start the car, so you do not have to
hear the noise. The turning off of the annoying noise is negative
reinforcement for putting on your seat belt.. Answer: Negative
reinforcement
◉ Positive punishment. Answer: A type of punishment in which
stimulus PRESENTATION is contingent on a response, resulting in the
DECREASE of the future probability of that response.
◉ jose hit Lisa because he wanted her to play with him. The teacher
reprimands Jose and told him not hit her again. Jose then asked Lisa to
,play with him the next day. The teacher's reprimand was an example of
positive. Answer: Positive punishment
◉ Negative punishment. Answer: A type of punishment in which
stimulus REMOVAL is contingent on a response, resulting in the
DECREASE of the future probability of that response.
◉ Jake loves PE. He spit at the teacher during PE class. The teacher sent
him to stand in the hall. The next gym class Jake did not spit. Leaving
the gym was negative punishment for spitting.. Answer: negative
punishment
◉ reinforcer. Answer: A stimulus that is either delivered or removed
that will INCREASE the likelihood of that response occurring in the
future
◉ Crystal likes cookies, she gets a cookie after she says "cookie."
Receiving the cookie is a POSITIVE reinforcer.
Katie gets a headache when she does homework. Her parents let her go
to bed without doing her homework. Going to bed is a NEGATIVE
reinforcer.. Answer: reinforcer
◉ Punisher. Answer: A stimulus that is either delivered or removed that
will DECREASE the likelihood of that response occurring in the future
◉ Jen receives a shock each time she touches the door to leave the
house. The shock is a POSITIVE punisher.
,Chris earns tokens for not having tantrums. When he gets 10 tokens he
can play a video game. If Chris tantrums, a token is removed. The
removal of a token is a NEGATIVE punisher.. Answer: punisher
◉ conditioned reinforcer. Answer: A stimulus that initially has no
reinforcing properties but through occurring simultaneously with an
unconditioned or strongly conditioned reinforcer, acquires reinforcing
properties.
◉ Mary had never demonstrated that bubbles were reinforcing to her.
Mary is presented bubbles every time she gives a correct response in
conjunction with a piece of an apple. Mary begins to choose bubbles
during a preference assessment. Bubbles became a conditioned
reinforcer.. Answer: conditioned reinforcer
◉ unconditioned reinforcer. Answer: A stimulus, such as food, water,
shelter or clothing that is reinforcing in the absence of any prior learning
history.
◉ Marius will complete any task that he is told to do if he knows food is
available to him after he has completed the task. Food is an
unconditioned reinforcer. Answer: unconditioned reinforcer
◉ extinction. Answer: a procedure by which a behavior that was
previously reinforced no longer receives reinforcement and the
probability of the behavior decreases.
, ◉ Megan bangs her head to get her mothers attention. When Megan
bangs her head, her mother comes running over to her to try to stop her.
Megan's mother stops coming to her when she bangs her head. The
planned ignoring of Megan banging her head is called extinction.
Answer: extinction
◉ deprivation. Answer: The absence or reduction of a reinforcer for a
period of time. The depravation is an establishing operation that
increases the effectiveness of the reinforcer.
◉ Tomi has not had a eaten since 7:00am. It is 10:00am now, the
therapist offers Tomi food during a preference assessment. Tomi
chooses food. He gets 100% correct on his Community Helper's lesson
with receiving a bite of food after each correct response.. Answer:
deprivation
◉ satiation. Answer: : Repeated presentation of a reinforcer weakens its
effectiveness and for this reason the rate of responses declines
◉ Elijah has just eaten lunch. The therapist brings him into session and
plans on using pieces of carrots as a reinforcer. Carrots are Elijah's
favorite food. Elijah refuses the carrots and begins to not respond during
his ABA session. He just ate lunch and is satiated on food.. Answer:
satiation
◉ contingency. Answer: Refers to dependent and/or temporal relations
between operant behavior and its controlling variables
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS
◉ Example: Sally took off her shoe independently yesterday, her mother
clapped her hands and said "Way to go Sally!" Sally took her shoes off
today independently again. The clapping and "way to go" were the
positive reinforcer for taking her shoes off independently.. Answer:
positive reinforcement
◉ Negative reinforcement. Answer: 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.
◉ When you start your car, an annoying noise is sounded. The noise
turns off when you put your seatbelt on. The next time you get in the car
you put your seat belt on before you start the car, so you do not have to
hear the noise. The turning off of the annoying noise is negative
reinforcement for putting on your seat belt.. Answer: Negative
reinforcement
◉ Positive punishment. Answer: A type of punishment in which
stimulus PRESENTATION is contingent on a response, resulting in the
DECREASE of the future probability of that response.
◉ jose hit Lisa because he wanted her to play with him. The teacher
reprimands Jose and told him not hit her again. Jose then asked Lisa to
,play with him the next day. The teacher's reprimand was an example of
positive. Answer: Positive punishment
◉ Negative punishment. Answer: A type of punishment in which
stimulus REMOVAL is contingent on a response, resulting in the
DECREASE of the future probability of that response.
◉ Jake loves PE. He spit at the teacher during PE class. The teacher sent
him to stand in the hall. The next gym class Jake did not spit. Leaving
the gym was negative punishment for spitting.. Answer: negative
punishment
◉ reinforcer. Answer: A stimulus that is either delivered or removed
that will INCREASE the likelihood of that response occurring in the
future
◉ Crystal likes cookies, she gets a cookie after she says "cookie."
Receiving the cookie is a POSITIVE reinforcer.
Katie gets a headache when she does homework. Her parents let her go
to bed without doing her homework. Going to bed is a NEGATIVE
reinforcer.. Answer: reinforcer
◉ Punisher. Answer: A stimulus that is either delivered or removed that
will DECREASE the likelihood of that response occurring in the future
◉ Jen receives a shock each time she touches the door to leave the
house. The shock is a POSITIVE punisher.
,Chris earns tokens for not having tantrums. When he gets 10 tokens he
can play a video game. If Chris tantrums, a token is removed. The
removal of a token is a NEGATIVE punisher.. Answer: punisher
◉ conditioned reinforcer. Answer: A stimulus that initially has no
reinforcing properties but through occurring simultaneously with an
unconditioned or strongly conditioned reinforcer, acquires reinforcing
properties.
◉ Mary had never demonstrated that bubbles were reinforcing to her.
Mary is presented bubbles every time she gives a correct response in
conjunction with a piece of an apple. Mary begins to choose bubbles
during a preference assessment. Bubbles became a conditioned
reinforcer.. Answer: conditioned reinforcer
◉ unconditioned reinforcer. Answer: A stimulus, such as food, water,
shelter or clothing that is reinforcing in the absence of any prior learning
history.
◉ Marius will complete any task that he is told to do if he knows food is
available to him after he has completed the task. Food is an
unconditioned reinforcer. Answer: unconditioned reinforcer
◉ extinction. Answer: a procedure by which a behavior that was
previously reinforced no longer receives reinforcement and the
probability of the behavior decreases.
, ◉ Megan bangs her head to get her mothers attention. When Megan
bangs her head, her mother comes running over to her to try to stop her.
Megan's mother stops coming to her when she bangs her head. The
planned ignoring of Megan banging her head is called extinction.
Answer: extinction
◉ deprivation. Answer: The absence or reduction of a reinforcer for a
period of time. The depravation is an establishing operation that
increases the effectiveness of the reinforcer.
◉ Tomi has not had a eaten since 7:00am. It is 10:00am now, the
therapist offers Tomi food during a preference assessment. Tomi
chooses food. He gets 100% correct on his Community Helper's lesson
with receiving a bite of food after each correct response.. Answer:
deprivation
◉ satiation. Answer: : Repeated presentation of a reinforcer weakens its
effectiveness and for this reason the rate of responses declines
◉ Elijah has just eaten lunch. The therapist brings him into session and
plans on using pieces of carrots as a reinforcer. Carrots are Elijah's
favorite food. Elijah refuses the carrots and begins to not respond during
his ABA session. He just ate lunch and is satiated on food.. Answer:
satiation
◉ contingency. Answer: Refers to dependent and/or temporal relations
between operant behavior and its controlling variables
