RBT practice test: Behavior Acquisition, set 5

Set 5 of 12 for content area C, Behavior Acquisition (19 of the 75 scored exam questions). Every answer is explained.

20 questions

Question 1A client's plan teaches tacts through discrete-trial teaching. The RBT thinks natural environment training would work better. What should the RBT do?
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A: Run the plan as written and tell the supervisor. RBTs implement the plan their supervisor designs and bring suggestions to the supervisor, who decides whether to change the teaching approach.
- B: Changing procedures, even as a test, is a plan change only the supervisor can make.
- C: Using an unplanned procedure without the supervisor's knowledge is not following the plan.
- D: Caregivers can share input, but the supervisor makes changes to the plan.
Task C.4 · RBT Ethics Code 2.02 · RBT Ethics Code 2.06
Question 2What is a main advantage of backward chaining?
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D: Each trial ends with the learner finishing the task. Because the learner always performs the last step, every trial ends in contact with the terminal reinforcer, the finished task plus any planned reinforcement.
- A: Practicing every step each session is total task chaining.
- B: Teaching the first step first is forward chaining.
- C: Earlier steps are still done or prompted by the instructor in backward chaining.
Task C.5 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 3In a clinic, a client now touches the cat picture when told "Touch cat" and does not touch the other pictures in the array. Touching the cat picture after that instruction is reinforced; touching the other pictures is not. The client's pattern of responding shows:
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C: Stimulus control. When a response reliably occurs in the presence of a particular stimulus and not in its absence, the response is under stimulus control. Differential reinforcement in discrimination training is what produces it.
- A: Response generalization is the appearance of new, untrained responses similar to the trained one; here one response reliably occurs in the presence of one stimulus.
- B: No prompt is involved; the client responds correctly to the instruction and picture alone.
- D: Spontaneous recovery is the return of a behavior after extinction, often at the start of a later session; it does not describe accurate responding.
Task C.6 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 4A most-to-least plan says to move from a partial physical prompt to a gestural prompt after 3 consecutive sessions of correct responding at the partial physical level. The client has just met this criterion. What should the RBT do in the next session?
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A: Begin using the gestural prompt, as the plan states. In most-to-least prompting, the RBT moves to the next, less intrusive level when the plan's criterion is met. Following the criterion as written keeps fading on schedule.
- B: Delaying fading beyond the plan's criterion is a plan change and risks prompt dependence.
- C: Skipping levels changes the plan; the plan calls for a gestural prompt next.
- D: Going back to more help after success is the opposite of what the plan's criterion calls for.
Task C.7 · 40-hour curriculum section E · RBT Ethics Code 2.02
Question 5A client has learned to wait calmly at the clinic table. The plan now calls for practicing waiting at a grocery checkout and in a restaurant. Which type of generalization is being targeted?
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C: Generalization across settings. Practicing the same skill in new places targets generalization across settings, one of the forms of stimulus generalization named in the task.
- A: The change described is in places, not in the people working with the client.
- B: The response, waiting calmly, stays the same; only the setting changes.
- D: Maintenance is about the skill continuing over time, not about new places.
Task C.8 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 6A client could not write their phone number in baseline. The RBT now uses most-to-least prompting and reinforces every correct response. Which procedure is the RBT implementing?
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C: An acquisition procedure. The client is learning a skill that was not in their repertoire, with prompts and continuous reinforcement. That is an acquisition procedure.
- A: Maintenance procedures are for skills that are already mastered.
- B: A generalization probe tests a learned skill in new conditions without teaching.
- D: A mastery probe checks performance without prompts; this is prompted teaching.
Task C.9 · 40-hour curriculum section A
Question 7A client plays alone across the room from peers. The plan reinforces the client for playing a little closer to peers each week until the client plays next to them. What is being reinforced at each step?
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C: A successive approximation of playing next to peers. Each step reinforces play at a distance that is closer to the goal than the step before. These steps are successive approximations of the terminal behavior, playing next to peers.
- A: The terminal behavior, playing next to peers, is the end goal and is not reached until the last step.
- B: Reinforcing a behavior that cannot occur with a problem behavior is DRI; playing closer to peers is a step toward the goal behavior.
- D: Reinforcing the absence of a behavior during an interval describes DRO, not shaping.
Task C.10 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 8A client starts crying loudly. To stop the crying, the RBT says, "If you stop crying, I'll give you two tokens." Why is this a problem?
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B: Offering tokens during problem behavior can reinforce it. Offering reinforcers while problem behavior is happening can teach the client that the behavior leads to tokens. Tokens should follow the target behaviors in the plan, and the plan's procedure for crying should be followed.
- A: Tokens can be given at any time the plan's target behaviors occur.
- C: The number offered is not the issue; the offer itself follows problem behavior.
- D: Target behaviors can be social, self-care or other skills, not only academic tasks.
Task C.11 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 9A teen's phone alarm rings each morning and keeps ringing until the teen taps "Stop." Over the month, the teen taps "Stop" faster and faster after the alarm starts. Which statement best explains the change?
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A: Negative reinforcement, because tapping ends the ringing and tapping has increased. The ringing is already present, and tapping "Stop" ends it. Because the response terminates a stimulus and becomes faster and more likely, this is negative reinforcement (escape).
- B: Silence is the absence of the ringing; what the response does is remove the ringing, which makes this negative, not positive, reinforcement.
- C: Negative punishment would make tapping less likely, but tapping has become faster and more likely.
- D: The ringing comes before the tap, not after it, so it is not a consequence that punishes tapping.
Task C.1 · 40-hour curriculum section A
Question 10A client's chosen backup reinforcer, tablet time, is also available freely during breaks and all evening at home. The tokens that buy tablet time have become much less effective. What best explains this?
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B: The client can get the backup reinforcer without tokens, so the tokens are worth less.. Free access to the backup reinforcer acts like satiation: tablet time is less valuable, so tokens that buy it are less valuable. The RBT should report this pattern to the supervisor.
- A: Free access lowers the value of tablet time; it does not make tablet time a punisher.
- C: Nothing in the situation describes a change in the token delivery schedule.
- D: Delivering tokens right after the response helps them work; it does not lower their value.
Task C.2 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 11An RBT says "Point to dog" with three picture cards on the table. The client does not respond, so the RBT says "Point to dog. Point to dog. Dog!" What is the main problem with repeating the instruction?
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B: The client may learn to wait for repeated instructions. An instruction should be given once, then the RBT follows the plan's prompting or error-correction step if the client does not respond. Repeating it can teach the client that the first instruction does not matter.
- A: Discrete-trial instructions should be brief and clear; adding words makes the cue harder to follow, not easier.
- C: The client needs the cards in view to respond to a receptive instruction.
- D: Giving the reinforcer after no response would reinforce not responding.
Task C.3 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 12During a snack routine, an RBT gives a client a few pieces of popcorn at a time instead of the whole bowl. Why?
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A: To create more chances to request. Small portions create many opportunities to mand while keeping motivation from dropping too quickly from satiation.
- B: Popcorn is already a reinforcer; portion size does not condition it.
- C: Sharing is not being taught here; no peer is involved.
- D: The client receives popcorn after each request, so this is not a waiting program.
Task C.4 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 13A task-analysis data sheet uses codes: I = independent, G = gestural, M = model, P = physical. On step 4, the RBT has to show the client how to do the step before the client does it. What should be recorded for step 4?
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D: M. Showing the client how to perform the step is a model prompt, so the step is scored M.
- A: The client needed help, so the step was not independent.
- B: A gestural prompt is a point or motion; the RBT demonstrated the step.
- C: A physical prompt involves touching or guiding the client, which did not happen.
Task C.5 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 14In a receptive program with a cup and a car on the table, a client touches the cup when told "Touch cup" and also touches the cup when told "Touch car," even when the two items switch places. No prompts are given. What is controlling the client's choice?
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D: The cup itself, rather than the spoken instruction. The client picks the cup on every trial regardless of the instruction or the cup's position, so the cup is controlling the choice. In a conditional discrimination, the instruction must determine which item is chosen.
- A: The client does the same thing whatever is said, so the instruction is not controlling which item is chosen.
- B: The client chooses the cup even when the items switch places, so position is not the cue.
- C: No prompts are given in this program.
Task C.6 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 15In most-to-least prompting, what usually happens if the learner makes errors after moving to a less intrusive prompt?
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B: The plan returns to a more assistive prompt level. Most-to-least prompting aims to keep errors low. When errors appear at a less intrusive level, plans typically go back to the previous, more helpful level before fading again.
- A: Removing all help after errors would lead to more errors, which most-to-least prompting is designed to avoid.
- C: Lengthening the wait before a prompt describes time delay, not an error rule in most-to-least prompting.
- D: Reinforcing errors strengthens them; the plan instead gives more help so the correct response occurs.
Task C.7 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 16The plan calls for a generalization probe in which a new person asks the client to perform a skill in a room not used for teaching. What is the purpose of this probe?
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A: To find out whether the skill occurs under conditions not used in teaching. A generalization probe tests whether a skill occurs with people, places or materials that were not part of teaching. The results tell the supervisor whether more generalization programming is needed.
- B: A probe tests performance; it is not extra prompted teaching.
- C: Checking agreement between two observers is interobserver agreement, not a generalization probe.
- D: Identifying the function of problem behavior is part of functional assessment, not a generalization probe.
Task C.8 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 17On a weekly maintenance probe, a client scores 40% on a target that was mastered at 90% two months ago. The plan gives no rule for this situation. What should the RBT do?
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C: Record the probe result accurately and report the drop to the supervisor. A large drop on a maintenance probe is important data. The RBT records it as it occurred and reports it, and the supervisor decides whether the target returns to acquisition or needs another change.
- A: Removing a target from the program is a supervisor decision.
- B: Recording prompted responses as correct misrepresents the client's performance.
- D: Without a rule in the plan, changing the target's phase is the supervisor's decision.
Task C.9 · 40-hour curriculum section A
Question 18When an earlier approximation is no longer reinforced, a client's responses often become more variable. Why is this variability useful in shaping?
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D: It produces new forms, some closer to the target, that can be reinforced. Extinction of the earlier approximation tends to increase variation in responding. Among those new variations are responses closer to the target, which the RBT can reinforce under the new criterion.
- A: More variable responding does not mean the terminal behavior has been reached.
- B: Variability is an expected effect of extinction of the old approximation, not a sign the reinforcer has lost value.
- C: Variability does not by itself call for physical prompts.
Task C.10 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 19A plan gives a client a token at the end of each 5-minute interval in which no hitting occurs. Which procedure is combined with the token system?
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A: DRO. Reinforcing the absence of a behavior for a set interval is differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO). Here tokens are the reinforcer used.
- B: DRA reinforces a specific alternative behavior, not the absence of hitting.
- C: DRI reinforces a specific behavior that cannot occur at the same time as the problem behavior.
- D: Response cost removes tokens after a behavior; this plan gives tokens.
Task C.11 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Question 20In a vocational program, an adult client sorts mail. As the plan directs, the RBT gives a token after every 4 pieces sorted correctly. Which schedule is this?
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A: Fixed ratio 4. The token is delivered after a set, unchanging number of responses (4), which is a fixed ratio schedule.
- B: A variable ratio 4 would deliver tokens after a changing number of responses that averages 4.
- C: A fixed interval schedule depends on time passing, not on the number of responses.
- D: Continuous reinforcement would deliver a token after every correct response.
Task C.1 · 40-hour curriculum section A

Answer every question to see your score.

What this test covers

Questions in this test by task
Task	Questions
C.1 Positive and negative reinforcement	2
C.2 Conditioned reinforcers	1
C.3 Discrete-trial teaching	1
C.4 Naturalistic teaching	2
C.5 Task analysis and chaining	2
C.6 Discrimination training	2
C.7 Prompting and prompt fading	2
C.8 Generalization	2
C.9 Maintenance vs. acquisition	2
C.10 Shaping	2
C.11 Token economies	2

4 easier, 11 exam-level and 5 harder questions. Each task link opens its study page.

Question 1A client's plan teaches tacts through discrete-trial teaching. The RBT thinks natural environment training would work better. What should the RBT do?

Question 2What is a main advantage of backward chaining?

Question 3In a clinic, a client now touches the cat picture when told "Touch cat" and does not touch the other pictures in the array. Touching the cat picture after that instruction is reinforced; touching the other pictures is not. The client's pattern of responding shows:

Question 4A most-to-least plan says to move from a partial physical prompt to a gestural prompt after 3 consecutive sessions of correct responding at the partial physical level. The client has just met this criterion. What should the RBT do in the next session?

Question 5A client has learned to wait calmly at the clinic table. The plan now calls for practicing waiting at a grocery checkout and in a restaurant. Which type of generalization is being targeted?

Question 6A client could not write their phone number in baseline. The RBT now uses most-to-least prompting and reinforces every correct response. Which procedure is the RBT implementing?

Question 7A client plays alone across the room from peers. The plan reinforces the client for playing a little closer to peers each week until the client plays next to them. What is being reinforced at each step?

Question 8A client starts crying loudly. To stop the crying, the RBT says, "If you stop crying, I'll give you two tokens." Why is this a problem?

Question 9A teen's phone alarm rings each morning and keeps ringing until the teen taps "Stop." Over the month, the teen taps "Stop" faster and faster after the alarm starts. Which statement best explains the change?

Question 10A client's chosen backup reinforcer, tablet time, is also available freely during breaks and all evening at home. The tokens that buy tablet time have become much less effective. What best explains this?

Question 11An RBT says "Point to dog" with three picture cards on the table. The client does not respond, so the RBT says "Point to dog. Point to dog. Dog!" What is the main problem with repeating the instruction?

Question 12During a snack routine, an RBT gives a client a few pieces of popcorn at a time instead of the whole bowl. Why?

Question 13A task-analysis data sheet uses codes: I = independent, G = gestural, M = model, P = physical. On step 4, the RBT has to show the client how to do the step before the client does it. What should be recorded for step 4?

Question 14In a receptive program with a cup and a car on the table, a client touches the cup when told "Touch cup" and also touches the cup when told "Touch car," even when the two items switch places. No prompts are given. What is controlling the client's choice?

Question 15In most-to-least prompting, what usually happens if the learner makes errors after moving to a less intrusive prompt?

Question 16The plan calls for a generalization probe in which a new person asks the client to perform a skill in a room not used for teaching. What is the purpose of this probe?

Question 17On a weekly maintenance probe, a client scores 40% on a target that was mastered at 90% two months ago. The plan gives no rule for this situation. What should the RBT do?

Question 18When an earlier approximation is no longer reinforced, a client's responses often become more variable. Why is this variability useful in shaping?

Question 19A plan gives a client a token at the end of each 5-minute interval in which no hitting occurs. Which procedure is combined with the token system?

Question 20In a vocational program, an adult client sorts mail. As the plan directs, the RBT gives a token after every 4 pieces sorted correctly. Which schedule is this?

What this test covers