Question 1

Which view does the book advocate (support) with regard to understanding why an autistic child would exhibit one form of self-stimulation after another form had already been eliminated? (hint: what is the behavioral view?)
A) symptom substitution
B) concurrent contingencies
C) extinction
D) medical model

Accepted Answer

The behavioral view supported in the book is concurrent contingencies, which suggests that a child's self-stimulation behaviors may be maintained as a result of multiple reinforcing contingencies operating simultaneously. This view does not support the idea of symptom substitution, extinction or the medical model as the sole explanation for a child's behavior.

Question 2

Juke used a very mild and brief electric shock in one of the contingencies to get his nephews to behave properly when they ate out (based on Bauman et al.).

Accepted Answer

Bauman et al. did not use electric shocks in their research; their work focused on observational studies and did not involve aversive stimuli like electric shocks to modify behavior.

Question 3

What kind of contingency is this for managing Jimmy's self-stimulation and normal play behavior? (Koegel et al.)
A) differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (note DRA involves the same reinforcing outcome)
B) positive punishment of self-stimulation
C) natural reinforcement of normal play
D) negative punishment of self-stimulation

Accepted Answer

B

Question 4

What kind of contingency is this for managing Jimmy's self-stimulation and normal play behavior? (Koegel et al.)
A) differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (note DRA involves the same reinforcing outcome)
B) appropriate natural contingency
C) performance-management contingency
D) contrived contingency

Accepted Answer

An appropriate natural contingency involves providing opportunities for the individual to engage in naturally-occurring reinforcing activities as an alternative to the target behavior, rather than creating a contrived contingency. Koegel et al. describe how they managed Jimmy's self-stimulatory and play behavior by providing access to preferred toys and activities and shaping appropriate play with peers, which is an example of an appropriate natural contingency. Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) is not the correct answer, as it involves reinforcement for a behavior that serves the same function as the target behavior, which was not described in the article. Performance-management and contrived contingencies are not the best choices, as they do not accurately describe the intervention used in this study.

Question 5

An inappropriate natural contingency must be an unconditioned reinforcer, not a conditioned reinforcer

Accepted Answer

An inappropriate natural contingency can involve either unconditioned or conditioned reinforcers. Unconditioned reinforcers are stimuli that naturally and automatically trigger a response without prior learning (e.g., food for hunger), while conditioned reinforcers (also known as secondary reinforcers) are stimuli that have become reinforcing through their association with unconditioned reinforcers (e.g., money can be used to buy food). An inappropriate natural contingency refers to a situation where the reinforcement provided is not suitable or is misaligned with the desired behavior, regardless of whether the reinforcer is conditioned or unconditioned.

Question 6

According to behavior analysts, if you get rid of one problem behavior, another will take its place until you get rid of the underlying mental illness.

Accepted Answer

Behavior analysts focus on observable behaviors and their environmental determinants rather than underlying mental illnesses. They use principles of learning to change behavior directly, rather than assuming a behavior will be replaced due to an untreated mental illness.

Question 7

If one-third of the reinforcer value is obtained for pecking the left key, then the pigeon will put one-third of its pecks on the left key. This is an example of what?
A) symptom substitution
B) the matching law
C) stimulus generalization
D) quantification
E) resistance to extinction
F) all of the above
G) none of the above

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the matching law, which states that the relative rate of responding matches the relative rate of reinforcement for two or more response options. In this case, because one-third of the reinforcer value is obtained for pecking the left key, the pigeon will put one-third of its pecks on the left key. This is a demonstration of how the matching law can predict behavior in operant conditioning experiments.

Question 8

Select the statement that does not reflect the behavior-analytic view of one behavior automatically replacing another. A) one problem behavior sometimes replaces another B) appropriate behavior sometimes replaces a problem behavior C) behavior replacement results from concurrent contingencies of reinforcement D) keep working until you've dealt with each of the concurrent contingencies E) one behavior replacing another is usually clear evidence that the symptom of an underlying disorder has not been adequately treated F) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The statement "one behavior replacing another is usually clear evidence that the symptom of an underlying disorder has not been adequately treated" does not reflect the behavior-analytic view. Behavior analysts believe that behavior replacement results from concurrent contingencies of reinforcement and that appropriate behavior can replace problem behavior. They also believe in identifying and addressing all concurrent contingencies to successfully replace problem behavior.

Question 9

Recall the article by Koegel et al., "Increasing spontaneous play by suppressing self-stimulation in autistic children" (i.e., Mae's punishment of self-stimulation). Is this an example of concurrent contingencies?

Accepted Answer

Yes, this is an example of concurrent contingencies because Mae was using punishment (suppressing self-stimulation) to increase the occurrence of an alternative behavior (spontaneous play).

Question 10

To decrease Jimmy's dysfunctional behavior, what interventions other than punishment could be implemented?
A) extinguish the dysfunctional behavior
B) differentially reinforce more-appropriate behavior
C) modify the task so that it produced a higher frequency of reinforcement.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

Punishment is often not the most effective way to decrease dysfunctional behavior as it can lead to negative side effects such as aggression or avoidance. Instead, interventions like extinguishing the dysfunctional behavior (i.e. removing any reinforcement that may maintain it), differentially reinforcing more-appropriate behavior (i.e. providing positive reinforcement for desirable behavior), and modifying the task to increase the frequency of reinforcement can be more effective and less harmful. Combined, these interventions can have an even greater impact on reducing dysfunctional behavior.

Question 11

For which of the following is an intervention (treatment) package usually least appropriate?
A) Basic scientific, applied-behavior research
B) technology development
C) providing a behavioral service

Accepted Answer

Intervention packages are designed to intervene and improve a behavior or skill. Basic scientific research and technology development do not involve the direct intervention with an individual's behavior, therefore an intervention package is typically not necessary or appropriate. Providing a behavioral service, on the other hand, would likely require an intervention package.

Question 12

If some components of an intervention were expensive and you would be using them repeatedly, then you should test them as a treatment package rather than testing each component independently.

Accepted Answer

Testing each component independently, despite the cost, allows for the identification of which specific components are effective, ensuring that resources are not wasted on ineffective parts of the intervention.

Question 13

Sid's difficult life (the top half of the diagram): What goes in the before & after boxes of the escape contingency? A) Before: No writing reinforcers, After: Writing reinforcers B) Before: Aversively sleepy, After: Not aversively sleepy C) Before: Social reinforcers, After: No social reinforcers D) Before: Writing reinforcers, After: No writing reinforcers

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sid's difficult life (the top half of...

Question 14

Sid's difficult life (the bottom half of the diagram): What goes in the before & after boxes of the weak penalty contingency above? A) Before: No writing reinforcers, After: Writing reinforcers B) Before: Aversively sleepy, After: Not aversively sleepy C) Before: Social reinforcers, After: No social reinforcers D) Before: Writing reinforcers, After: No writing reinforcers

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sid's difficult life (the bottom half of...

Question 15

Match the following components with the relevant part of the contingency diagram. This is the DRI avoidance of the loss contingency that Gerald Patterson used to increase the rate of a boy's studying in the classroom (1965).
 
-Will lose opportunity for light & click in 10 sec

Accepted Answer

The answer of Match the following components with the relevant...

Question 16

Match the following components with the relevant part of the contingency diagram. This is the DRI avoidance of the loss contingency that Gerald Patterson used to increase the rate of a boy's studying in the classroom (1965).
 
-Won’t lose opportunity for light & click in 10 sec

Accepted Answer

The answer of Match the following components with the relevant...

Question 17

Match the following components with the relevant part of the contingency diagram. This is the DRI avoidance of the loss contingency that Gerald Patterson used to increase the rate of a boy's studying in the classroom (1965).
 
-Studies continuously

Accepted Answer

The answer of Match the following components with the relevant...

Question 18

What two contingencies are involved in managing Jimmy's self-stimulation and normal play behavior? (Koegel et al.)
Select the letter that corresponds to each contingency.
-
A) Appropriate natural contingency
B) Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (note DRA involves the same reinforcing outcome)
C) Performance-management contingency
D) Inappropriate natural contingency

Accepted Answer

The answer of What two contingencies are involved in managing...

Question 19

What two contingencies are involved in managing Jimmy's self-stimulation and normal play behavior? (Koegel et al.)
Select the letter that corresponds to each contingency.
-
A) Appropriate natural contingency
B) Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (note DRA involves the same reinforcing outcome)
C) Performance-management contingency
D) Inappropriate natural contingency

Accepted Answer

The answer of What two contingencies are involved in managing...

Question 20

Please match the following definitions with the terms below.
(NOT ALL OF THE TERMS BELOW WILL BE USED!)
-____ Concurrent contingency 
A)Reinforcement is contingent on a behavior that is incompatible with another behavior. 
B)When two different responses are each reinforced with a different schedule of reinforcement, the relative frequency of the two responses equals the relative value of reinforcement on the two schedules of reinforcement.
C)The addition or change of several independent variables at the same time to achieve a desired result without testing the effect of each variable individually.
D)Problem behaviors are symptoms of an underlying mental illness. So if you get rid of one problem behavior, another will take its place, until you get rid of the underlying mental illness. 
E)More than one contingency of reinforcement or punishment is available at the same time.

Accepted Answer

Concurrent contingency refers to a situation where more than one contingency of reinforcement or punishment is available at the same time, which matches definition E.

Quiz 22: Concurrent Contingences

Which view does the book advocate (support) with regard to understanding why an autistic child would exhibit one form of self-stimulation after another form had already been eliminated? (hint: what is the behavioral view?)

Juke used a very mild and brief electric shock in one of the contingencies to get his nephews to behave properly when they ate out (based on Bauman et al.).

What kind of contingency is this for managing Jimmy's self-stimulation and normal play behavior? (Koegel et al.)

What kind of contingency is this for managing Jimmy's self-stimulation and normal play behavior? (Koegel et al.)

An inappropriate natural contingency must be an unconditioned reinforcer, not a conditioned reinforcer

According to behavior analysts, if you get rid of one problem behavior, another will take its place until you get rid of the underlying mental illness.

If one-third of the reinforcer value is obtained for pecking the left key, then the pigeon will put one-third of its pecks on the left key. This is an example of what?

Select the statement that does not reflect the behavior-analytic view of one behavior automatically replacing another.

Recall the article by Koegel et al., "Increasing spontaneous play by suppressing self-stimulation in autistic children" (i.e., Mae's punishment of self-stimulation). Is this an example of concurrent contingencies?

To decrease Jimmy's dysfunctional behavior, what interventions other than punishment could be implemented?

For which of the following is an intervention (treatment) package usually least appropriate?

If some components of an intervention were expensive and you would be using them repeatedly, then you should test them as a treatment package rather than testing each component independently.

Sid's difficult life (the top half of the diagram) : What goes in the before & after boxes of the escape contingency?

Sid's difficult life (the bottom half of the diagram) : What goes in the before & after boxes of the weak penalty contingency above?

Match the following components with the relevant part of the contingency diagram. This is the DRI avoidance of the loss contingency that Gerald Patterson used to increase the rate of a boy's studying in the classroom (1965). -Will lose opportunity for light & click in 10 sec

Match the following components with the relevant part of the contingency diagram. This is the DRI avoidance of the loss contingency that Gerald Patterson used to increase the rate of a boy's studying in the classroom (1965). -Won’t lose opportunity for light & click in 10 sec

Match the following components with the relevant part of the contingency diagram. This is the DRI avoidance of the loss contingency that Gerald Patterson used to increase the rate of a boy's studying in the classroom (1965). -Studies continuously

What two contingencies are involved in managing Jimmy's self-stimulation and normal play behavior? (Koegel et al.) Select the letter that corresponds to each contingency. -

What two contingencies are involved in managing Jimmy's self-stimulation and normal play behavior? (Koegel et al.) Select the letter that corresponds to each contingency. -

Please match the following definitions with the terms below. (NOT ALL OF THE TERMS BELOW WILL BE USED!) -____ Concurrent contingency