What is a Token Economy? Token economies are a popular reinforcement system used in applied behavior analysis (ABA) to increase behaviors we want to see more often. Token economies are also used frequently in classrooms which makes this type of system great for generalization across different settings. Although used often, a token economy is sometimes […]
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Understanding Task Analysis and Task Chain Strategies Task analysis in applied behavior analysis play a crucial role in teaching complex behaviors by breaking down complex skills into smaller, manageable steps which we call behavior chains. This blog explains the creation of of behavior chains, the methods for teaching behavior chains, and selecting chaining procedures. Whether
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Learn Differential Reinforcement Once and For All – ABA Made Easy What’s the difference between DRO, DRA, and DRI? There is nothing that gives my students more trouble than differential reinforcement and the acronyms that go along with it. This hasn’t changed since the day I started teaching the RBT exam. To be fair, I
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The simplest way to explain extinction is withholding reinforcement from a previously reinforced behavior. The goal of extinction is to reduce behavior. When something used to exist but is no longer available, it is said to have become extinct. Extinction in applied behavior analysis simply refers to the gradual elimination of unappealing and undesirable behaviors.
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Stimulus Transfer Control Procedures. Fade the Prompt! “Transfer of stimulus control occurs when behavior initially evoked (controlled) by one SD comes under the control of a different SD” (Bloh, 2008) Maybe the most requested video and explanation I get is for stimulus transfer control procedures. The technical name alone strikes fear into the hearts of
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Continuous Measurement on the RBT Exam The first thing you should study and learn for the RBT exam is continuous measurement. Not only does it appear first on the task list, but it’s straightforward and easy to grasp. You will be using continuous measurement more than any other measurement in applied behavior analysis practice. A
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What are Positive Reinforcement and Negative Reinforcement in Applied Behavior Analysis? Reinforcement is a principle of behavior change. All behavior change plans should begin with a careful consideration of how to use reinforcement properly. Reinforcement occurs when a response is followed by a stimulus change (a consequence) that results in similar responses occurring more often
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In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), there are two types of prompts: stimulus prompts and response prompts.
Stimulus prompts are external cues that remind the individual of what they should be doing. For example, a picture of a drink may be a stimulus prompt for an individual to ask for a drink.
Response prompts are cues that help the individual to respond correctly. For example, if an individual is asked to name a color, a response prompt might be to say “red” if the color red is presented.
Both stimulus and response prompts are important in ABA, as they help the individual to learn new skills and to generalize those skills to new situations.
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Question: What is time sampling and how do I record the data? Time sampling, also known as interval recording, is a type of discontinuous measurement where you only record data for a set period of time. This set period of time is the difference between discontinuous measurement and continuous measurement. In other words, you are
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What is Generalization and Maintenance in Applied Behavior Analysis? Generalization and maintenance are essential to providing quality treatment as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) or a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). You could argue that if you are not teaching for generalization then you are not providing quality ABA service. Generalization occurs when a trained
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What Should You Use to Pass the RBT Exam? Two of the most frequent questions people ask when preparing for the RBT exam are is the RBT exam hard, and what should I use to pass the RBT exam on the first try? I have been teaching RBT classes for almost ten years and believe
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Three-Term Contingency in ABA Your work as an RBT should be guided by just two words: if and then. If and then are used to set up contingencies that lead to opportunities for reinforcement, and, at times, punishment. An if-then statement is called a contingency. You might hear some people refer to it as “first-then.”
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