Pass the Big ABA Exam sections 1 – 8

BCBA Exam

Pass the Big ABA Exam sections 1 & 2

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) - 1) a scientific approach for discovering environmental

variables that reliable influence socially significant behavior and for developing a technology of

behavior change that is practical and applicable. ABA IS AN EVIDENCE BASED APPLIED SCIENCE

Science - a systematic approach foe seeking and organizing knowledge about the natural world.

Based on determinism

Purpose of Science - to achieve a thorough understanding of the phenomena under study (in

ABA this is socially important behaviors)

3 levels of scientific understanding (acronym - DCP) - 1) description 2) prediction 3) Control

Description - systematic observations that can be quantified and classified (e.g., number of

praise statements made by teachers in classrooms)

Prediction (AKA - correlation; covariation) - two events may regularly occur at the same time.

this does not necessarily mean one causes the other (e.g., when the weather is hot there are

more drowning deaths. Correlation bc we cannot ASSUME hot weather causes drowning

deaths)

Control - functional relation. THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING.

Experimental demonstration that manipulating one event (IV) results in another event (DV) (see

page 18 for examples)

6 attitudes of science/philosophical assumptions of behavior (acronym - DEER PP) - 1)

determinism 2) empiricism 3) experimentation (aka: experimental analysis) 4) replication 5)

parsimony 6) philosophical doubt

Determinism - cause and effect. Lawfulness - if/then statements. The world is orderly and

predictable

Empiricism - FACTS. Experimental, data-based scientific approach. Drawing upon observation

and experience. Requires objective quantification and detailed description of events.

Experimentation (AKA - experimental analysis) - the basic strategy of most sciences. Requires

manipulating variables so as to see the effects on the DV. An assessment to determine if one

event caused another event. Requires all variables to be controlled except the DV.

Replication - repeating experiments. The method that scientists used to determine the

RELIABILITY and usefulness of their findings. How scientists discover mistakes, thus making

science a self-correcting enterprise

Parsimony - the simplest theory (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID). All simple and logical explanations

must be ruled out before considering more complex explanations. Helps scientists fit findings

within the fields existing knowledge base.

Philosophical doubt - having healthy skepticism and a critical eye about the results of studies

and your work with clients

7 dimensions of ABA (acronym - BATCAGE) - 1. Behavioral 2. Applied 3. Technological 4.

Conceptually systematic 5. Analytical 6. Generality 7. Effective

Behavioral - observable events. The behavior one chooses must be the behavior in need of

improvement

Applied - aba improves every life of clients. Improves SOCIALLY SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORS. Also

helps significant others (e.g., parents, peers, employers, etc.) so that they can behave more

positively toward the client

Technological - defines procedures clearly and in detail so they are REPLICABLE (like a recipe)

Conceptually systematic - all procedures used should be tied to the basic principles of behavior

analysis from which they were derived

Analytical (aka - functional relation, experimentation, control, causation): A FUNCTIONAL

RELATIONSHIP IS DEMONSTRATED. Describes when the experimenter has demonstrated a

functional relation between the manipulated events and a reliable change in some measurable

dimension of the targeted behavior. Ultimate issues is BELIEVABILITY - is the experimental

control sufficient to prove a reliable functional relation?

Generality (aka - generalization) - extends behavior change across time, settings, or other

behaviors

Effective - improves behavior in a practical manner, not simply making a change that is

statistically significant

Mentalism Terminology - 1. Hypothetical construct 2. Explanatory fiction 3. Circular reasoning

Mentalism - an approach to explaining behavior that assumes an inner dimension exists and

causes behavior. traditional psychology has been and continues to be dominated by mentalism.

(e.g., freud, talk therapy)

Hypothetical constructs - presumes but unobserved entities (e.g., free will, readiness,

unobservable storage and retrieval mechanisms for memory, information processing, etc.)

Explanatory fictions - fictitious variables that are another name for observed behavior. they

contribute nothing to an understanding of the variables responsible for maintaining behavior.

words that are associated with explanatory fiction include - knows, wants, figures out.

Circular reasoning - the cause and effect are both inferred from the same information. (e.g., he

cried because he felt sad. The sad feeling and crying are both inferred from the same

depressive behaviors

Behaviorism - the philosophy of the science of behavior. it emerged in the 20th century as a

reaction to "mentalistic" psychology which often had difficulty making predictions that could be

tested using experimental methods. Environmental (i.e., not mentalistic) explanation of

behavior

4 branches of behavior analysis (acronym - CASE) - 1. Conceptual analysis of behavior (aka -

behaviorism) 2. ABA 3. Behavior Service deliver (s) 4. Experimental analysis of behavior (EAB)

Conceptual analysis of behavior (aka - behaviorism) - examines philosophical, theoretical,

historical, and methodological issues

ABA - refers to behavior analysis that assess, monitor, analyze, revise (if needed), and

communicate the effects of their work. They create behavior change tactics that can increase

behavior, teach and maintain behavior, make behavior sensitive to environmental events,

generalize behavior, reduce problem behavior, etc.

Behavior service delivery - refers to the many people in various fields of work (not

BCBAs/BCaBAs) implementing ABA within their professions. Think of education, sports,

psychology, job safety, health, business, animal training, commerce, etc.

Experimental analysis of behavior (EAB) - research on basic processes and principles. Conducted

mainly in laboratories.