Part 1

• removal of the aversive stimulus (brushing teeth) is the negative aspect of this example of negative reinforcement. For both of the examples, we see the behavior increase in the future, which is how we know reinforcement has occurred.

Use the Positive and Negative Reinforcement Worksheet [DOCX] to complete the following:

• Provide two examples of positive reinforcement that you have observed either personally or professionally.
• Provide two examples of negative reinforcement that you have observed either personally or professionally.

As you draft these examples in the worksheet, you will be asked to determine:

• The behavior that changed.
• Whether the behavior increased or decreased.
• Whether a stimulus was added or taken away.
• Whether the process was positive or negative reinforcement.
• The antecedent to the behavior.
• The consequences of the behavior.

Assignment Requirements

• Written communication: Should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and rubric criteria:

• Competency 2: Apply the basic principles and concepts of behavioral change.
  • Apply the concept of positive reinforcement appropriately to examples.
  • Apply the concept of negative reinforcement appropriately to examples.
  • Identify the antecedent to the behavior.
  • Define a targeted behavior operationally.
  • Determine the consequences of the targeted behavior.
  • Determines if the behavior increases or decreases in this scenario.
• Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.
  • Write coherently to support a central idea, with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a psychology professional.

Part 2

In this week, you are learning the concept of operant extinction and how it is applied to change behavior. Make sure you complete the Operant Extinction interactive activity in this week, which will provide you with some valuable experience you can apply to this assignment.

Operant extinction procedures are frequently used effectively in ABA treatment plans. However, as you observed in the interactive media presentation you completed, they can also be incorrectly implemented. This improper implementation can result in unknowingly reinforcing the very behavior we want to decrease. As a future ABA professional, it is important for you to learn how to correctly identify maintaining antecedents and consequences that reinforce unwanted behavior, and to correctly apply extinction techniques that effectively reduce the target behavior.

In order to successfully complete this assignment, you will first identify a behavior frequently exhibited by yourself or by someone close to you, to which you would like to apply an extinction procedure.

• Define the behavior operationally.
• Describe the antecedent to the behavior.
• Describe the consequences of the behavior.
• Describe positive and negative reinforcement contingencies that occur as a result of engaging in the behavior. (Hint: Think about what is maintaining your identified behavior and what you will be withholding when you implement the extinction procedure.)
• Identify procedures that can end up reinforcing the unwanted target behavior, and explain the potential results of improperly implementing these procedures that were meant to help extinguish the unwanted target behavior.
• Identify the extinction techniques that you feel will most effectively reduce the target behavior, and explain why you feel these will be most effective. (Hint: Think back to your identified positive and negative reinforcements to help you identify what you should be withholding to change the behavior through an extinction procedure.)

Assignment Requirements

• Written communication: Should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to current APA style guidelines. Visit Evidence and APALinks to an external site. for help with APA.
• Resources: At least two scholarly or professional sources.
• Length: 4–5 pages, in addition to a title page and reference page.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and rubric criteria:

• Competency 1: Investigate the field of applied behavior analysis.
  • Define the maintaining antecedents, the targeted behavior to be extinguished, and the consequences that reinforce the behavior.
• Competency 2: Apply the basic principles and concepts of behavioral change.
  • Identify procedures that could potentially reinforce the unwanted target behavior.
  • Distinguish positive and negative reinforcements that occur as the result of engaging in the target behavior.
• Competency 3: Apply advanced principles and concepts of behavioral change.
  • Determine the extinction techniques that will most effectively reduce the target behavior.
• Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.
  • Write coherently to support a central idea, with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a psychology professional.
  • Successfully implement APA style.

Part 3

In your Week 1 studies, you were asked to reach out to a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) or board certified assistant behavior analyst (BCaBA), and ask some guiding questions to gain a better understanding of career choices in the field of applied behavior analysis. Based on those findings, complete the following:

• Review and summarize the responses from the BCBA or BCaBA professional.
• Integrate the interview findings into a cohesive written composition that explains for the reader the focus, scope, and expectations in the professional’s work. Describe areas of the work that are interesting and areas that are challenging. Reflect on how the interview has impacted your perceptions of the field.

Include following in the paper:

• Summarize the job requirements of the professional.
• Describe the job title, setting (private practice, clinic, school, group home, et cetera), and the population with which the professional works.
• Describe how this job compares with your career interests. Would you be interested in working in this setting and with this population of individuals? Why or why not?

Note: Since the paper requires a personal reflection on perceptions of the field and your career interests, you can write in first person for these areas of the work.

Assignment Requirements

• Written communication: Should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to current APA style guidelines. Visit Evidence and APALinks to an external site. for help with APA.
• Resources: At least one scholarly or professional source.
• Length: 3–4 pages, in addition to title page and reference page.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and rubric criteria:

• Competency 1: Investigate the field of applied behavior analysis.
  • Integrate results of an interview with a board certified behavior analyst in order to determine the focus and scope of their work.
  • Describe areas of interest and concern in terms of the job requirements and expectations involved in some areas of applied behavior analysis.
  • Reflects on personal perceptions and career choices in the field of applied behavior analysis.
• Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.
  • Write coherently to support a central idea, with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a psychology professional.
  • Successfully implement APA style.

Part 4

Anonymous Grading:no

Details

We all encounter behavioral contingencies on a daily basis in both our personal and professional lives. For example, receiving a paycheck is contingent on being present at a job. Using the Motivating Operation and Discriminative Stimulus Worksheet [DOCX], identify the antecedents, target behavior, and consequences in four real-life scenarios. Two scenarios are provided for you and you will provide the final two scenarios from your own experiences.

• For the first two scenarios, identify which type of stimulus is being exhibited (motivating operation or discriminative stimulus).
• For the last two scenarios, provide your own example of a motivating operation and a discriminative stimulus.

After completion of the worksheet, save the document and submit it as your assignment for a grade.

Assignment Requirements

• Written communication: Should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and rubric criteria:

• Competency 2: Apply the basic principles and concepts of behavioral change.
  • Describe target behaviors to be analyzed.
  • Determine the consequences for each of the target behaviors.
• Competency 3: Apply advanced principles and concepts of behavioral change.
  • Accurately determine discriminitive stimuli when distinguishing between motivating operations and discriminitive stimuli.
  • Accurately determine motivating operations when distinguishing between motivating operations and discriminitive stimuli.
• Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.
  • Write coherently to support a central idea, with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a psychology professional.