Your FREE RBT Flashcards 2026 – 150+ Cards

A continuous measure that records the number of times a behavior occurs (e.g., 8 hand-raises in a session).

Count of a behavior divided by the observation time, expressed as responses per unit of time (e.g., 4 responses per minute).

A continuous measure of how long a behavior lasts from onset to offset (e.g., a tantrum lasting 3 minutes).

The elapsed time between an antecedent (such as an instruction) and the onset of the response.

The elapsed time between the end of one response and the beginning of the next response.

Recording every instance of a behavior during the observation period (e.g., frequency, duration, latency, IRT).

Sampling behavior in time blocks rather than recording every instance — partial-interval, whole-interval, or momentary time sampling.

Scoring an interval as positive if the behavior occurred at any point during it; tends to overestimate the behavior.

Scoring an interval as positive only if the behavior occurred for the entire interval; tends to underestimate the behavior.

Scoring whether the behavior is occurring at the precise moment each interval ends; good for continuous or group behaviors.

A measure of the tangible outcome or effect a behavior leaves on the environment (e.g., number of worksheets completed), recorded after the fact.

Correct responses divided by total opportunities, multiplied by 100 (e.g., 15 of 20 correct = 75%).

A clear, objective, observable, and measurable description of a target behavior so independent observers agree on whether it occurred.

The degree to which two or more independent observers report the same values; the primary index of measurement reliability.

The degree to which a procedure or intervention is implemented exactly as written and designed; also called treatment integrity.

A graph in which each response adds to a running total, so a steep slope means a high response rate and a flat line means no responding.

The most common ABA graph; an equal-interval display of data over time used to interpret level, trend, and variability.

The overall direction of a data path on a graph — increasing, decreasing, or flat (zero-celerating).

The value of a data path on the vertical axis — its overall magnitude or where the data fall.

The degree to which data points differ from one another; high variability makes a trend harder to interpret.

Measurement of the target behavior before intervention, used as a comparison to judge whether the intervention works.

The physical form or shape of a behavior — what it looks like (e.g., kicking versus hitting).

The force, strength, or severity of a response (e.g., the loudness of a scream).

The form an RBT uses to record measurement of target behaviors during a session, in real time and accurately.

Measurable features of behavior — repeatability (count/rate), temporal extent (duration), and temporal locus (latency, IRT).

A procedure that identifies stimuli likely to function as reinforcers for a specific learner (single-stimulus, paired, MSW, MSWO, or free-operant).

Presenting one item at a time and measuring approach or engagement; often best for learners who can't yet choose between items.

Presenting two items at a time and recording which the learner selects; yields a clear preference rank order.

Multiple stimulus without replacement — present an array, and the chosen item is removed before the next trial, producing a ranked hierarchy.

Multiple stimulus with replacement — present an array, and the chosen item stays in for the next trial.

Observing a learner with free access to items and measuring the time spent engaged with each to infer preference.

A procedure that tests whether a presumed reinforcer actually increases behavior, confirming what a preference assessment only suggests.

The reinforcing consequence that maintains a behavior — why it occurs — not its form or frequency.

Gathering information about behavior through interviews, rating scales, and questionnaires rather than direct observation.

Direct observation of behavior in the natural setting (e.g., ABC recording); correlational, not causal.

Direct observation that records the Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence of each occurrence to identify patterns.

Experimentally manipulating antecedents and consequences across test conditions to demonstrate the function maintaining a behavior; only the RBT's supervisor designs it.

An environmental event or stimulus that occurs immediately before a behavior; the 'A' in the three-term contingency.

An environmental event that occurs immediately after a behavior and influences its future frequency; the 'C' in the three-term contingency.

The basic unit of analysis in ABA: Antecedent → Behavior → Consequence (A-B-C).

A behavior maintained by social attention — eye contact, comments, comfort, or even reprimands.

A behavior maintained by the removal or postponement of a demand or aversive situation (social negative reinforcement).

A behavior maintained by obtaining a preferred item or activity (social positive reinforcement).

A behavior maintained by the stimulation it produces itself, independent of other people (e.g., self-soothing, sensory input).

A consequence delivered after a behavior that increases the future frequency of that behavior; defined only by its effect on behavior.

Adding a stimulus after a behavior, which increases the behavior's future frequency (e.g., giving praise after a task is completed).

Removing or postponing a stimulus after a behavior, which increases the behavior's future frequency (e.g., a chore ends after the work is done).

A stimulus that functions as a reinforcer without any learning history, usually because it is biologically important (e.g., food, water).

A stimulus that became reinforcing through pairing with an existing reinforcer (e.g., praise, tokens, money).

A conditioned reinforcer paired with many backups, so its value doesn't depend on one motivating operation (e.g., tokens, money).

Reinforcing every single occurrence of the target behavior; best for teaching a brand-new skill.

Reinforcing only some occurrences of a behavior; builds resistance to extinction and is used to maintain skills.

Reinforcement is delivered after a set, unchanging number of responses (e.g., FR-4 reinforces every 4th response).

Reinforcement is delivered after an average number of responses that varies; produces high, steady, extinction-resistant rates.

The first response after a set amount of time is reinforced; produces a scalloped pattern of responding.

The first response after an average amount of time is reinforced; produces a steady, moderate rate.

A structured teaching format of repeated trials, each with a clear antecedent (S-D), response, consequence, and inter-trial interval.

A stimulus in the presence of which a response has been reinforced, signaling reinforcement is available so the behavior is more likely.

A stimulus in the presence of which a response has not been reinforced, so the response is less likely to occur.

The brief pause between the end of one discrete trial and the start of the next.

Teaching that uses the learner's natural setting, interests, and motivation, capturing or contriving teaching moments during play and routines.

Child-led, motivation-based instruction embedded in everyday activities, as opposed to massed-trial DTT at a table.

Breaking a complex skill into smaller, sequenced, teachable steps so a chain can be taught.

Linking individual behaviors into a sequence (a chain) using a task analysis, via forward, backward, or total-task procedures.

Teaching the steps of a task analysis in order, starting with the first step, while completing the rest for the learner.

Teaching the steps of a task analysis starting with the last step, so the learner finishes the chain and contacts reinforcement.

Teaching every step of a task analysis on each trial, prompting as needed, rather than one step at a time.

Building a new behavior by differentially reinforcing successive approximations that come closer and closer to the target behavior.

A supplementary antecedent stimulus that increases the likelihood a learner gives a correct response.

A prompt that acts directly on the learner's behavior — verbal, gestural, modeling, or physical guidance.

A prompt that changes the antecedent materials themselves — position, movement, or added cues (e.g., highlighting the correct choice).

Hand-over-hand or other physical guidance that helps the learner complete the correct response.

Beginning with the most intrusive prompt that ensures success, then fading to less intrusive prompts as the learner improves.

Beginning with the least intrusive prompt (or none) and increasing prompt strength only as needed for a correct response.

Systematically reducing prompts over time to transfer stimulus control from the prompt to the natural cue.

Arranging prompts so the learner responds correctly from the start, minimizing errors, then fading the prompts.

A prompt-fading method that inserts a growing pause between the instruction and the prompt so the learner can respond independently.

When a behavior's rate, latency, or form changes in the presence of a specific antecedent stimulus.

Shifting control of a correct response from a prompt to the natural discriminative stimulus, so the learner responds independently.

Teaching a learner to respond differently to different stimuli by reinforcing responses in the S-D but not the S-delta.

The spread of a learned behavior to new people, settings, or materials (stimulus generalization) or to new responses (response generalization).

Responding the same way in the presence of stimuli similar to the one used in training (new people, places, materials).

Emitting untrained responses that have the same effect as the trained response (e.g., different ways of greeting someone).

The continued performance of a skill over time after teaching has ended, programmed through thinning and natural reinforcers.

A system that delivers tokens (generalized conditioned reinforcers) for target behaviors, later exchanged for backup reinforcers.

The preferred item or activity a learner can trade tokens for in a token economy.

Associating the technician and teaching setting with reinforcement so they become conditioned reinforcers and the learner approaches them.

An environmental variable that alters the value of a reinforcer and the frequency of behavior that produces it.

A motivating operation that increases the value of a reinforcer (e.g., deprivation makes food more reinforcing).

A motivating operation that decreases the value of a reinforcer (e.g., satiation makes food less reinforcing).

A verbal operant — a request — controlled by a motivating operation and reinforced by the specific item or action requested.

A verbal operant — a label or comment — controlled by a nonverbal stimulus and reinforced by generalized social reinforcement.

A verbal operant that repeats a verbal model with point-to-point correspondence (vocal imitation).

A verbal operant evoked by a verbal stimulus without point-to-point correspondence (conversation, answering questions, fill-ins).

Demonstrating the target response so the learner can imitate it; a common response prompt.

A predefined standard of performance (e.g., 90% correct across 3 sessions) that signals a skill is learned and ready to maintain or generalize.

Increasing compliance with a difficult request by first delivering several easy, high-probability requests (high-p sequence).

Deliberately teaching across multiple people, settings, and examples so a skill transfers; never assume generalization will happen on its own.

A consequence delivered after a behavior that decreases the future frequency of that behavior; defined only by its effect on behavior.

Withholding the reinforcer that maintained a behavior, which decreases the behavior over time.

A temporary increase in the frequency, intensity, or duration of a behavior when extinction is first implemented.

The reappearance of an extinguished behavior after a period without exposure to the extinction contingency.

No longer allowing escape from a demand for the problem behavior, so escape-maintained behavior is placed on extinction.

Reinforcing one response class while placing another on extinction (DRA, DRI, DRO, DRL, DRH).

Differential reinforcement of an alternative behavior — reinforce an appropriate alternative while the problem behavior is on extinction.

Differential reinforcement of an incompatible behavior — reinforce a behavior that physically cannot occur at the same time as the problem behavior.

Differential reinforcement of other behavior — reinforce the absence of the problem behavior for a set period of time (omission).

Differential reinforcement of low rates — reinforce responding at or below a target lower rate to reduce, but not eliminate, a behavior.

Differential reinforcement of high rates — reinforce responding at or above a target higher rate to increase a behavior.

A form of DRA that teaches a functionally equivalent communication response (e.g., asking for a break) to replace problem behavior.

Delivering the maintaining reinforcer on a time-based schedule, independent of behavior, weakening the behavior–reinforcer relation.

An intervention chosen to match the function maintaining a behavior, since the same behavior can require different treatments for different functions.

Modifying the environment before behavior occurs to make problem behavior less likely (e.g., offering choices, NCR, demand fading).

Gradually increasing task demands from a low, well-tolerated level so escape-maintained problem behavior is less likely to be triggered.

Presenting several easy, likely-to-be-completed requests before a difficult one to build momentum toward compliance.

An appropriate behavior taught to serve the same function as the problem behavior, so the problem behavior is no longer needed.

The written plan, designed by the supervisor, that specifies how to prevent, replace, and respond to a target problem behavior.

A pre-approved plan in the BIP for behaviors that pose imminent risk; RBTs implement only what they're trained and authorized to do.

A negative-punishment procedure that removes a specified amount of a reinforcer (e.g., tokens) following a behavior.

A negative-punishment procedure that removes access to positive reinforcement for a period following a behavior.

Choosing the least intrusive procedure likely to be effective, favoring reinforcement-based strategies over punishment.

Reduced effectiveness of a reinforcer after recent, plentiful access to it (an abolishing operation).

Increased effectiveness of a reinforcer after a period without access to it (an establishing operation).

An objective, accurate written record of a session — services delivered, data, behaviors observed, and relevant events — completed in a timely way.

Recording observable, measurable facts (what was seen and heard) without opinions, labels, or assumptions.

The reporting structure in which the RBT reports concerns, data irregularities, and questions to the supervising behavior analyst.

A professional legally required to report suspected abuse or neglect to the proper authorities; RBTs are typically mandated reporters.

The federal law protecting the privacy and security of clients' protected health information; RBTs must safeguard client confidentiality.

Protecting client information and discussing cases only with authorized members of the treatment team, in appropriate settings.

Sharing information with caregivers and the team within the limits of the RBT's role; clinical recommendations come from the supervisor.

Completing notes and data as soon as possible after the session so the record is accurate and not reconstructed from memory.

Plotting session data so the supervisor and RBT can interpret level, trend, and variability and make data-based decisions.

An entry-level, paraprofessional ABA certification by the BACB; RBTs deliver behavior-analytic services under close, ongoing supervision.

Board Certified Behavior Analyst — the master's-level analyst who designs assessments and treatment plans and supervises RBTs.

The range of services an RBT is qualified and authorized to deliver — implementing plans under supervision, not designing them.

RBTs must receive ongoing supervision from a qualified BACB supervisor for a minimum percentage of the hours they provide services.

Providing only services the RBT has been trained on and can perform correctly, and seeking training before doing anything new.

Being honest and accurate — recording data truthfully even when goals aren't met, and never falsifying records.

Treating each client with compassion, dignity, and respect, honoring their rights, culture, and individual needs.

A second role (social, financial, romantic) with a client that risks impaired objectivity or exploitation; RBTs avoid them.

A situation, such as accepting gifts or favors, that could compromise the RBT's professional judgment; should be avoided and disclosed.

Limits that keep the RBT–client relationship strictly professional, protecting the client and the integrity of services.

The BACB code of professional conduct that governs RBT practice; the RBT Ethics Code applies its standards to technicians.

A performance-based assessment of RBT skills, administered by a qualified assessor, required for initial certification and annual renewal.

The required RBT training, based on the RBT Task List (2nd ed.), that must be completed before taking the certification exam.

Drifting beyond authorized duties (e.g., modifying a program or giving clinical advice); RBTs must stay within their defined role.

Preserving privacy and respect during all procedures — for example, not discussing a client's behavior in front of others.

Maintaining and growing competence through training and renewal requirements so RBTs keep delivering services correctly.

Promptly telling the supervising analyst about unexpected data, new behaviors, barriers, or anything outside the RBT's role.

Implementing programs and behavior plans exactly as written; if a plan seems wrong, the RBT consults the supervisor rather than changing it.