RBT Behavior Acquisition Practice Test

25 practice questions

Choose an answer, then check it under Show answer.

1. Question 1 of 25Medium

   A behavior intervention plan specifies using differential reinforcement where higher quality reinforcers are reserved for independent responses, while lower quality reinforcers are delivered for prompted responses. Which implementation by the RBT aligns with this instruction?

   1. AA. Giving the client five small crackers for independent responses and two small crackers for prompted responses.
   2. BB. Giving the client three minutes with a favorite game for independent responses and one minute for prompted responses.
   3. CC. Giving the client access to a favorite electronic game for independent responses and a sticker for prompted responses.
   4. DD. Delivering loud verbal praise for independent responses and soft verbal praise for prompted responses.
   Show answer to question 1

   Answer: C. Giving the client access to a favorite electronic game for independent responses and a sticker for prompted responses.

   Reinforcer quality refers to the subjective preference or appeal of the item itself, such as providing a highly preferred electronic game versus a less preferred sticker. Adjusting the duration of game access or the number of crackers alters reinforcer magnitude, not quality. Changing the volume of praise alters stimulus intensity or magnitude rather than reinforcer quality.

2. Question 2 of 25Medium

   An RBT reviews a learner's task analysis for putting on a winter coat. The plan specifies backward chaining, with the final step (pulling the zipper up) designated as the current acquisition step. How should the RBT implement the chain during instruction?

   1. AA. Require the learner to attempt all steps independently without providing any assistance
   2. BB. Switch the procedure to forward chaining if the learner reaches for the zipper first
   3. CC. Complete the earlier steps for the learner and teach the final step as specified in the plan
   4. DD. Prompt the learner through the first step and perform the rest of the chain independently
   Show answer to question 2

   Answer: C. Complete the earlier steps for the learner and teach the final step as specified in the plan

   In backward chaining, the trainer completes or assists with all initial steps up to the target step, allowing the learner to perform the final step and access the natural terminal reinforcer. Prompting only the first step and completing the rest describes forward chaining, which contradicts the supervisor's prescribed intervention plan.

3. Question 3 of 25Hard

   An RBT is using total task teaching with graduated guidance to teach a learner to put on a jacket. As the learner reaches for the second sleeve, the learner begins to twist the sleeve backward. What is the most appropriate action for the RBT to take?

   1. AA. Immediately apply the minimal physical guidance needed to correct the movement, then fade pressure as the learner guides the arm correctly.
   2. BB. Issue a verbal warning, finish putting the jacket on the learner, and move to a different activity.
   3. CC. Wait 20 seconds to see if the learner self-corrects before intervening with a full hand-over-hand prompt.
   4. DD. Remove the jacket completely, record an error for the trial, and restart the chain from step one.
   Show answer to question 3

   Answer: A. Immediately apply the minimal physical guidance needed to correct the movement, then fade pressure as the learner guides the arm correctly.

   Graduated guidance paired with total task teaching involves shadowing the learner's movements and immediately applying minimal physical guidance to prevent errors, quickly fading that support as the learner initiates the correct movement. Waiting 20 seconds allows error patterns to practice and consolidate, while restarting from step one interrupts the flow of total task execution.

4. Question 4 of 25Easy

   In discrete trial teaching, when does the intertrial interval occur?

   1. AA. Between the learner's incorrect response and the delivery of an error correction prompt
   2. BB. Between the start of the overall therapy session and the first instructional trial
   3. CC. Between the delivery of the consequence and the start of the next trial
   4. DD. Between the presentation of the discriminative stimulus and the learner's response
   Show answer to question 4

   Answer: C. Between the delivery of the consequence and the start of the next trial

   The intertrial interval (ITI) is the brief pause between the delivery of the consequence for one trial and the presentation of the discriminative stimulus for the subsequent trial. The interval between the discriminative stimulus and the response is termed response latency, not the intertrial interval.

5. Question 5 of 25Medium

   A skill acquisition plan calls for a zero-second prompt delay when introducing a new target, 'Touch nose.' How should the RBT present the discriminative stimulus and the prompt?

   1. AA. Say 'Touch nose' and simultaneously guide the learner's hand to their nose
   2. BB. Guide the hand halfway to the nose while asking 'Where is your nose?'
   3. CC. Physically guide the learner's hand to their nose, then say 'Touch nose'
   4. DD. Say 'Touch nose,' wait three seconds for an independent attempt, then guide the hand
   Show answer to question 5

   Answer: A. Say 'Touch nose' and simultaneously guide the learner's hand to their nose

   In a zero-second prompt delay (errorless learning), the prompt is presented simultaneously with the discriminative stimulus to prevent errors from occurring. Delivering the physical prompt before the instruction does not allow the verbal cue to function as the antecedent discriminative stimulus.

6. Question 6 of 25Medium

   During free play, a learner independently reaches for a container of bubbles stored on a high shelf. In naturalistic teaching, what does this learner-initiated action represent?

   1. AA. A contrived motivating operation arranged intentionally by the technician.
   2. BB. An avoidance response that indicates escape-maintained behavior.
   3. CC. A captured establishing operation that creates a natural learning trial.
   4. DD. A noncontingent reinforcement opportunity that requires no response.
   Show answer to question 6

   Answer: C. A captured establishing operation that creates a natural learning trial.

   Capturing an establishing operation occurs when a technician recognizes and uses a naturally occurring moment of learner interest to teach a target behavior, such as manding for the bubbles. Contriving motivation involves intentionally setting up or manipulating the environment ahead of time to create a need, which is not what occurred here since the learner initiated interest independently.

7. Question 7 of 25Medium

   A learner is learning to scoop food with a spoon. The RBT places a hand over the learner's hand and guides it to the bowl. Which best describes the prompt?

   1. AA. A verbal response prompt, a spoken step reminder
   2. BB. A redundancy stimulus prompt, an added material cue
   3. CC. A physical response prompt, the most intrusive type
   4. DD. A positional stimulus prompt, a low-intrusive type
   Show answer to question 7

   Answer: C. A physical response prompt, the most intrusive type

   Hand-over-hand guidance is a physical prompt, which is a response prompt and the most intrusive type because the RBT is directly moving the learner's body through the response. Pointing out a position or naming a step would not involve contact with the learner and would be classified differently.

8. Question 8 of 25Easy

   An RBT is teaching a learner to point to pictures on request. The behavior plan states that correct responses should receive immediate positive reinforcement. In one trial, the learner points to the target picture, but the RBT pauses to write down notes for 15 seconds before offering praise and a sticker. What is the primary concern with this delivery?

   1. AA. The delayed delivery may accidentally reinforce an intervening behavior rather than the target response.
   2. BB. The delayed delivery eliminates the motivating operation that established the sticker as a reinforcer.
   3. CC. The delayed delivery shifts the procedure from positive reinforcement to negative reinforcement.
   4. DD. The delayed delivery changes the schedule of reinforcement from continuous to intermittent.
   Show answer to question 8

   Answer: A. The delayed delivery may accidentally reinforce an intervening behavior rather than the target response.

   Immediate reinforcement ensures that the consequence directly follows the target behavior, strengthening the desired response rather than whatever behavior occurs during the delay. Failing to deliver the reinforcer immediately does not change the reinforcement type to negative reinforcement or alter the schedule type.

9. Question 9 of 25Easy

   An RBT is teaching a learner to identify a cup. According to the skill acquisition plan, the RBT presents ceramic mugs, paper cups, plastic tumblers, and travel mugs across trials. Which generalization strategy is the RBT implementing?

   1. AA. Teaching loosely
   2. BB. Sequential modification
   3. CC. Training sufficient exemplars
   4. DD. Programming common stimuli
   Show answer to question 9

   Answer: C. Training sufficient exemplars

   Training sufficient exemplars involves teaching the learner to respond correctly across multiple stimulus variations until the response generalizes to novel instances. Teaching loosely involves randomly varying non-critical environmental features during instruction rather than deliberately presenting diverse target items.

10. Question 10 of 25Medium

    A behavior technician presents discrete trials that alternate between newly introduced vocal imitation targets and previously mastered motor imitation actions. What is the primary clinical rationale for interspersing maintenance trials with acquisition trials?

    1. AA. It eliminates the need to run formal baseline assessments before introducing novel behavioral programs.
    2. BB. It preserves access to reinforcement, maintains existing skills, and helps reduce learner frustration during difficult tasks.
    3. CC. It ensures the learner generalizes newly acquired imitation responses to novel community settings immediately.
    4. DD. It allows the technician to fade all reinforcement schedules completely by the end of the instructional session.
    Show answer to question 10

    Answer: B. It preserves access to reinforcement, maintains existing skills, and helps reduce learner frustration during difficult tasks.

    Interspersing mastered (maintenance) tasks among acquisition tasks maintains high contact with reinforcement, sustains behavioral momentum, and reduces frustration caused by repeated difficult or novel demands. Interspersal does not eliminate the need for baseline assessments or immediately produce community generalization.

11. Question 11 of 25Hard

    A technician has been using least-to-most prompting as written, but on the last several trials the learner has needed the most intrusive prompt. The technician thinks it would be faster to start with that prompt every trial. What is the best action?

    1. AA. Skip the middle prompt levels and go from the first prompt to the last.
    2. BB. Continue the hierarchy as written and report the prompt levels to the supervisor.
    3. CC. Start each trial with the most intrusive prompt to save time.
    4. DD. Stop prompting entirely and let the learner practice the steps alone.
    Show answer to question 11

    Answer: B. Continue the hierarchy as written and report the prompt levels to the supervisor.

    The technician implements the written plan and does not change prompt levels or the hierarchy on their own; data showing frequent intense prompts is useful information for the supervising behavior analyst to review. Changing the sequence may promote prompt dependence, and removing prompts altogether would likely lead to errors and frustration.

12. Question 12 of 25Medium

    While conducting a receptive identification program, the RBT says, 'Point to spoon.' The learner immediately touches the fork, then quickly shifts their hand to touch the spoon before the RBT can intervene. Under standard discrete-trial scoring protocols, how should the RBT record this trial?

    1. AA. Incorrect, because the initial response emitted by the learner was an error
    2. BB. Correct, because the final stimulus selected matched the presented instruction
    3. CC. Neutral, because emitting multiple selections automatically invalidates the trial
    4. DD. Prompted, because the presence of the fork prompted a self-correction
    Show answer to question 12

    Answer: A. Incorrect, because the initial response emitted by the learner was an error

    In standard trial-by-trial recording, performance is scored based on the initial response emitted by the learner; since the first response was an error, the trial is marked incorrect. Scoring the trial as correct based on a self-correction would overestimate unprompted mastery unless the acquisition plan contains a specific self-correction exception.

13. Question 13 of 25Medium

    When collecting rate data during a session where a variable interval schedule of reinforcement is being correctly implemented, what response pattern should the technician typically observe?

    1. AA. An inconsistent rate of responding with prolonged pauses immediately following reinforcer delivery.
    2. BB. A scalloped pattern characterized by pauses after reinforcement followed by rapid responding.
    3. CC. A high, steady rate of responding with very brief post-reinforcement pauses.
    4. DD. A steady, moderate rate of responding with virtually no post-reinforcement pauses.
    Show answer to question 13

    Answer: D. A steady, moderate rate of responding with virtually no post-reinforcement pauses.

    Variable interval schedules typically generate steady, moderate response rates with almost no post-reinforcement pause because the learner cannot predict precisely when reinforcement will become available. A scalloped pattern with pauses following reinforcer delivery is characteristic of fixed interval schedules rather than variable interval schedules.

14. Question 14 of 25Medium

    A learner gives an incorrect answer during a discrete trial on a matching target. The plan specifies a correction procedure for errors. What should the RBT do with the programmed reinforcer for that trial?

    1. AA. Withhold it and follow the error-correction steps in the plan
    2. BB. Save it and deliver it after the next correct response on another target
    3. CC. Deliver half of it to show that the answer was partly correct
    4. DD. Deliver it anyway so the learner stays motivated to continue
    Show answer to question 14

    Answer: A. Withhold it and follow the error-correction steps in the plan

    Reinforcement is programmed to be contingent on the target response, so an error does not earn the consequence; instead the plan's error-correction steps are carried out. Delivering the reinforcer anyway to keep the learner motivated would reinforce the error and blur the contingency. Carrying the reinforcer over to a different target would also make the consequence unrelated to the response that earned it.

15. Question 15 of 25Hard

    While teaching expressive object labels, an RBT holds up a picture of a pencil and asks "What is this?" The learner says "Crayon." The RBT says "Try again," and the learner guesses "Marker." The RBT repeats "Try again," and the learner says "Pen." Which guideline for discrete trial error correction did the RBT violate?

    1. AA. Provide continuous tangible reinforcement on every guess to maintain a high rate of vocal responding.
    2. BB. Increase the intertrial interval to at least ninety seconds following every vocal misidentification.
    3. CC. Present a written prompt rather than a vocal model whenever teaching expressive tacts.
    4. DD. Provide an immediate, effective prompt after an error rather than allowing repeated unassisted incorrect guesses.
    Show answer to question 15

    Answer: D. Provide an immediate, effective prompt after an error rather than allowing repeated unassisted incorrect guesses.

    Error correction procedures require providing an immediate controlling prompt following an error to prevent the learner from rehearsing mistakes and engaging in a chain of random guessing. Increasing the intertrial interval to ninety seconds is incorrect because discrete trial intertrial intervals should remain short (typically 1 to 5 seconds) to maintain instructional pacing and attention.

16. Question 16 of 25Medium

    During free play, a learner reaches toward a favorite toy stored on a high shelf. The plan calls for incidental teaching. What should the RBT do?

    1. AA. Wait briefly for an initiation, prompt a fuller request if needed, then give the toy
    2. BB. Ignore the reach and offer a different toy that the RBT selects
    3. CC. Require three table-task trials before taking the toy down
    4. DD. Hand over the toy right away so the learner does not become upset
    Show answer to question 16

    Answer: A. Wait briefly for an initiation, prompt a fuller request if needed, then give the toy

    Incidental teaching uses the learner's interest as motivation, waits for an initiation, prompts a more elaborate response when needed, and then delivers the requested item. Handing over the toy immediately skips the teaching opportunity that the learner's reach created.

17. Question 17 of 25Medium

    A learner calls every four-legged animal a "dog," including cats and horses. The written plan directs the RBT to praise "dog" for pictures of dogs and, for pictures of other animals, to prompt the correct name and give no praise for "dog." The RBT is working mainly on which of the following?

    1. AA. Establishing a token economy
    2. BB. Reinforcing the learner's errors to keep responding high
    3. CC. Shaping the pronunciation of the word "dog"
    4. DD. Narrowing stimulus control by teaching a discrimination
    Show answer to question 17

    Answer: D. Narrowing stimulus control by teaching a discrimination

    The learner's "dog" response is under broad stimulus control, and reinforcing it only with dogs while withholding reinforcement for other animals teaches a discrimination so the response comes under the control of the features of dogs. Shaping would reinforce closer and closer approximations of a new response form, not tighten control by stimulus features.

18. Question 18 of 25Hard

    A learner earns tokens at the planned rate but has stopped trading them for anything on the backup menu and often leaves them on the desk. What is the RBT's best action?

    1. AA. Start giving two tokens for each response so that tokens seem more valuable.
    2. BB. Keep running the token plan as written and report the pattern to the supervising behavior analyst.
    3. CC. Drop tokens for this learner and rely on praise alone from now on.
    4. DD. Pick new backup items for the learner and add them to the menu.
    Show answer to question 18

    Answer: B. Keep running the token plan as written and report the pattern to the supervising behavior analyst.

    The RBT continues to implement the plan faithfully and collects data, while changes to token value, the backup menu, or the overall procedure are clinical decisions for the supervisor. The pattern may reflect satiation or weak backup reinforcers, which the supervisor needs to review before anything is revised.

19. Question 19 of 25Hard

    An RBT is teaching a learner to request "open" during a preferred activity. The plan uses continuous reinforcement during acquisition. The learner says "open," and the RBT opens the container. A minute later the learner reaches toward the container without saying "open," and the RBT opens it again. Why is the second delivery a problem?

    1. AA. It will make the target request occur more independently.
    2. BB. It changes the procedure from continuous to intermittent reinforcement.
    3. CC. It is required because continuous reinforcement means every reach gets the item.
    4. DD. It reinforces a response other than the target request.
    Show answer to question 19

    Answer: D. It reinforces a response other than the target request.

    Reinforcement must be contingent on the target request, not on reaching toward the container. Opening the container after a reach reinforces a different response and may weaken the connection between saying "open" and getting the item. Continuous reinforcement refers to reinforcing every target response, not every behavior the learner emits.

20. Question 20 of 25Easy

    An RBT is reviewing the difference between stimulus prompt fading and response prompt fading. Which of the following examples illustrates fading a stimulus prompt?

    1. AA. Demonstrating the full steps of tying a shoe and then reducing the demonstration to a partial model
    2. BB. Moving from hand-over-hand guidance to a light touch at the wrist while teaching handwashing
    3. CC. Increasing the pause from one second to three seconds before pointing toward the correct object
    4. DD. Gradually reducing the opacity of a dotted line on a handwriting sheet until only blank paper remains
    Show answer to question 20

    Answer: D. Gradually reducing the opacity of a dotted line on a handwriting sheet until only blank paper remains

    Gradually reducing the opacity of a printed guide directly changes the physical properties of the task materials, which is a stimulus fading procedure. Moving from physical guidance to a light touch and reducing a model to a partial model are examples of response prompt fading. Increasing the wait time before delivering a prompt represents a time delay procedure.

21. Question 21 of 25Easy

    During a token economy, a learner earns tokens and later trades them for items or activities. What are the items and activities the learner trades tokens for called?

    1. AA. intertrial intervals
    2. BB. backup reinforcers
    3. CC. prompt hierarchies
    4. DD. token exchange schedules
    Show answer to question 21

    Answer: B. backup reinforcers

    Backup reinforcers are the items or activities that tokens can be exchanged for. Token exchange schedules specify how many tokens are required, while prompt hierarchies and intertrial intervals belong to teaching procedures rather than the exchange menu.

22. Question 22 of 25Easy

    An RBT places a picture of a cat on the table, says 'Point to cat,' and immediately guides the learner's hand to touch the picture before an incorrect reach can occur. The learner touches the card with guidance, and the RBT provides praise. Which teaching method is the RBT implementing?

    1. AA. Incidental teaching
    2. BB. Errorless teaching
    3. CC. Least-to-most prompting
    4. DD. Backward chaining
    Show answer to question 22

    Answer: B. Errorless teaching

    Errorless teaching involves presenting the discriminative stimulus and immediately providing a controlling prompt to ensure a correct response occurs without errors. Least-to-most prompting allows the learner an initial opportunity to respond independently before introducing prompts.

23. Question 23 of 25Hard

    An RBT is using backward chaining for a 10-step routine. The learner now independently completes steps 9 and 10, while the RBT completes steps 1 through 8. What should happen next?

    1. AA. The RBT teaches step 10 again and stops delivering reinforcement
    2. BB. The RBT requires the learner to complete all 10 steps independently
    3. CC. The RBT returns to step 1 and begins teaching forward again
    4. DD. The RBT teaches step 8 after completing steps 1 through 7
    Show answer to question 23

    Answer: D. The RBT teaches step 8 after completing steps 1 through 7

    Backward chaining adds the next earlier step to the learner's independent performance, so step 8 is taught while steps 9 and 10 remain in the learner's portion of the chain. Returning to step 1 would change the procedure to forward chaining and would not follow the backward chaining plan.

24. Question 24 of 25Easy

    A learner mastered hand washing four weeks ago. The RBT's written plan lists hand washing as a maintenance target that is checked every Monday. What is the purpose of these scheduled checks?

    1. AA. To increase the difficulty of the task by adding extra steps
    2. BB. To see whether the mastered skill still occurs after teaching has ended
    3. CC. To reteach the skill from the first step of the task analysis
    4. DD. To decide which new skill should be added to the teaching list
    Show answer to question 24

    Answer: B. To see whether the mastered skill still occurs after teaching has ended

    Scheduled maintenance practice involves periodically presenting already-mastered skills to confirm the behavior persists after direct teaching stops. Re-running the full teaching sequence is not the point of a maintenance check, and selecting new targets or revising the task is a decision for the supervising behavior analyst, not the RBT.

25. Question 25 of 25Hard

    During tabletop handwriting instruction, a learner begins to drop pencils on the floor. Following the behavior intervention plan, the RBT immediately removes the handwriting worksheet and implements a 30-second break from the table. Data collected over two weeks show that pencil-dropping has doubled in frequency. How is the break contingency functionally operating on pencil-dropping?

    1. AA. As negative punishment
    2. BB. As extinction
    3. CC. As negative reinforcement
    4. DD. As positive reinforcement
    Show answer to question 25

    Answer: C. As negative reinforcement

    The procedure is functioning as negative reinforcement because the removal of the handwriting task immediately follows the pencil-dropping behavior and results in an increase in the future frequency of that behavior. Many practitioners mistakenly view a break or removal from the table as negative punishment (timeout); however, because the behavior increased rather than decreased, the functional effect is reinforcement via escape.

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