BCB study plan

Define and contrast respondent and operant conditioning, giving one original applied example of each

Diagram the three-term contingency and label discriminative stimulus, response, and consequence in four self-written scenarios

Distinguish reinforcement from punishment by consequence function rather than by stimulus type, explaining why this distinction matters in practice

List the defining features of positive/negative reinforcement and positive/negative punishment and classify ten original vignettes with written justification

Identify the four schedules of intermittent reinforcement and predict response patterns for each

Explain motivating operations, stimulus control, and generalization/discrimination in your own words with applied examples

Describe the behavior-change procedures most heavily tested (shaping, chaining, prompting/fading, extinction, differential reinforcement, token systems) and state the mechanism each relies on

Compare escape, attention, tangible, and automatic reinforcement functions and match each to a procedure likely to address it

Identify common pitfalls of extinction (extinction burst, spontaneous recovery, resurgence) and describe a mitigation for each

Select a behavior-change procedure for five original case descriptions and justify the selection using assessment data, function, and least-restrictive principles

Rank procedures within a least-to-most intrusive hierarchy and defend the ranking

Explain how to build a treatment package that combines antecedent and consequence strategies for a single case

Identify when a procedure requires additional safeguards (restrictive/intrusive procedures) and state the safeguards

Define and compute the core measurement dimensions (rate, percentage, duration, latency, interresponse time, celeration) from self-generated data sets

Distinguish continuous from discontinuous measurement (partial/whole interval, momentary time sampling) and state the bias each introduces

Construct and interpret line graphs, including level, trend, variability, and data-path decisions

Compare within-subject designs (reversal, multiple baseline, alternating treatments, changing criterion) and identify the design that controls for a stated confound

Apply the core ethical principles (benefit, do no harm, integrity, competence, dignity, equity) to four original dilemma scenarios

Describe informed consent, assent, confidentiality, and mandated-reporting obligations and identify the correct action in each of five scenarios

Outline the components of a functional behavior assessment (indirect, descriptive, functional analysis) and state the strengths and limits of each

Write operational definitions for three target behaviors that pass a dead-man's test and include examples and non-examples

Identify the sections of a written behavior plan and the data needed to justify each section

Integrate assessment results into a function-based treatment recommendation and defend it against two plausible alternatives

Apply ethical decision-making steps in sequence to a complex case involving risk, consent, and cultural responsiveness

Evaluate treatment acceptability, social validity, and maintenance/generalization planning for a proposed intervention

Identify scope-of-competence limits and describe the referral or supervision step required in three scenarios

Describe the components of effective supervision (goal setting, observation, feedback, documentation, evaluation of supervisee performance)

Draft performance expectations and a feedback sequence for a supervisee using behavior-analytic principles

Explain the purpose and structure of a supervision contract and the documentation required

Re-analyze two graphs from earlier weeks and state the data-based decision you would make at each decision point

Synthesize concepts, ethics, procedures, and treatment selection into integrated case responses under timed conditions

Identify and remediate your three weakest content areas based on prior deliverable error analyses

Practice distractor analysis on 40 original practice items, articulating why each incorrect option fails

Build a final-week review sheet of high-yield definitions, ethical obligations, and decision rules