BCBA Exam Tricky Distinctions

What is the difference between behavior and a response?

Behavior = activity of the organism.
Response = a specific instance of behavior.

Example:
“Hand raising” = behavior/response class.
A student raising their hand once = a response.

What is the difference between a response class and topography?

Response class = responses grouped by their function/effect.
Topography = the physical form of the response.

Exam clue: Different-looking behaviors can belong to the same response class.

Two behaviors look completely different but produce the same environmental effect. What concept describes this?

The responses have different topographies but share a common function/effect.

What is the difference between respondent and operant behavior?

Respondent = elicited by an antecedent stimulus.
Operant = selected by its consequences.

What does elicited mean?

The behavior is brought about by an antecedent stimulus.

Think: Respondent → elicited

What does emitted mean?

The term commonly used for operant behavior: the response occurs rather than being elicited as a respondent.

Think: Operant → emitted

A bright light causes a person's pupils to constrict. Is this respondent or operant behavior?

Respondent behavior.

The light is the antecedent stimulus that elicits the response.

A student completes an assignment and then receives praise. Completing assignments increases. Is this respondent or operant?

Operant behavior.

The behavior is selected by its consequence.