RBT Plan

Behavior Reduction: practice questions

4 original questions · 0 editor-approved · every choice explained.

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Blueprint-mapped questions with full rationales for every choice.

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Behavior ReductionDifficulty 2/5

A student throws materials during independent seatwork. Each time, the teacher removes the worksheet and the student sits quietly. The most likely function of throwing is:

  1. AEscape from the task
  2. BAutomatic reinforcement
  3. CAccess to a tangible item
  4. DAccess to attention
Show answer and rationale

Correct: A. The consequence that reliably follows the behavior is removal of the demand. Behavior that ends a task is maintained by negative reinforcement (escape). Identifying the function is task D.1 and drives the choice of intervention.

  • D — Attention is not what changes after the behavior; the demand is.
  • B — Automatic reinforcement would occur regardless of the social consequence.
  • C — No item is delivered after throwing.
Behavior ReductionDifficulty 3/5

An RBT begins escape extinction for task refusal exactly as the plan describes. During the first two sessions refusal becomes louder and more frequent before decreasing. What is this pattern called, and what should the RBT do?

  1. AResurgence; stop the procedure and return to the previous plan until the supervisor reviews it
  2. BExtinction burst; continue as written and report to the supervisor
  3. CSpontaneous recovery; switch to attention extinction for the remainder of the session
  4. DSatiation; change the reinforcer
Show answer and rationale

Correct: B. A temporary increase in frequency or intensity when reinforcement is first withheld is the extinction burst, a known secondary effect (task D.6). The RBT continues the procedure with fidelity and reports; stopping would reinforce the escalated behavior.

  • A — Resurgence is the return of a previously extinguished behavior when a newer behavior stops being reinforced.
  • C — Spontaneous recovery is reappearance after extinction, not an initial increase.
  • D — Satiation lowers behavior maintained by a reinforcer, not increases it.
Behavior ReductionDifficulty 3/5

A plan says: 'Deliver praise and a token every 2 minutes in which no hand-flapping occurs. If hand-flapping occurs, restart the interval.' This is:

  1. ADRA
  2. BDRI
  3. CDRO
  4. DDRL
Show answer and rationale

Correct: C. Reinforcement is delivered for the absence of the target behavior over an interval, and the interval resets on occurrence: differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO). No specific alternative or incompatible response is required.

  • A — DRA reinforces a specific alternative behavior.
  • B — DRI reinforces a behavior that cannot occur at the same time as the target.
  • D — DRL reinforces a lower rate of the behavior, not its absence.
Behavior ReductionDifficulty 3/5

Before presenting a difficult task, the RBT gives three easy instructions the learner reliably follows, praising each, then presents the difficult task. Which antecedent intervention is this?

  1. ADemand fading
  2. BExtinction
  3. CNoncontingent reinforcement
  4. DHigh-probability request sequence
Show answer and rationale

Correct: D. Delivering a rapid series of high-probability requests immediately before a low-probability request builds behavioral momentum and increases compliance. It changes the antecedent conditions rather than the consequence.

  • C — NCR delivers the reinforcer on a time schedule independent of behavior.
  • A — Demand fading gradually increases the number or difficulty of demands over sessions.
  • B — Extinction is a consequence procedure.

Primary references

  1. RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), effective January 1, 2026 — Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-21, verified 2026-09-21