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A.2: Explain the philosophical assumptions underlying the science of behavior analysis (e.g., selectionism, determinism, empiricism, parsimony, pragmatism).

Free practice questions for this part of the BCBA, with an explanation for every option.

A parent tells a BCBA, 'His meltdowns come out of nowhere. There's no reason for them.' The BCBA explains that his behavior is lawful and is related to events in his environment, even if those events have not been identified yet. Which assumption of the science is the BCBA expressing?
  1. A. Mentalism
    Mentalism explains behavior by inner, nonphysical causes. The BCBA's statement rejects that kind of explanation.
  2. B. Philosophic doubt
    Philosophic doubt is continually questioning whether one's own findings are true. The BCBA is stating a firm assumption about lawfulness, not questioning a finding.
  3. C. Empiricism
    Empiricism is the practice of basing knowledge on objective observation. It is related, but the BCBA's statement is about whether behavior is lawful, not about how knowledge is gathered.
  4. D. Determinism
    Correct. Determinism assumes the universe, including behavior, is lawful and orderly. Events happen as a result of other events, not by chance.
Two explanations are proposed for a teenager's sudden refusal to complete homework. A consultant suggests a complex account involving an underlying identity crisis. The BCBA first checks a simpler, testable possibility: refusal recently began producing escape from difficult math tasks. The BCBA rules out the simpler account before considering more complex ones. Which assumption guides this approach?
  1. A. Determinism
    Determinism assumes that behavior is lawful. Both explanations accept that, so determinism does not decide which one to test first.
  2. B. Selectionism
    Selectionism holds that behavior is selected by its consequences. It is consistent with the escape hypothesis but does not describe the strategy of preferring the simpler account.
  3. C. Parsimony
    Correct. Parsimony means ruling out simple, logical explanations, especially ones based on known principles, before considering more complex or abstract ones.
  4. D. Pragmatism
    Pragmatism judges ideas by whether they lead to effective action. It does not tell the analyst to start with the simplest explanation.
A middle school introduced a quiet-signal routine (raising a hand to request silence) ten years ago. Teachers who used it got quicker quiet and praise from administrators. New teachers learned it from colleagues, and it is still used even though none of the original staff remain. Within the selectionist framework, this best illustrates selection at which level?
  1. A. Phylogenic selection
    Phylogenic selection is natural selection of traits across generations of a species. A learned school routine is not a genetic trait.
  2. B. Ontogenic selection through operant conditioning of one individual
    Each teacher's behavior is shaped by operant consequences, but the key point is that the practice outlasts every original individual. That goes beyond one person's history.
  3. C. Selection of cultural practices
    Correct. When learned practices are passed among group members and kept because of their consequences for the group, it is cultural selection. This is the third level of selection described by Skinner.
  4. D. Ontogenic selection through respondent conditioning
    Respondent conditioning pairs stimuli to elicit reflexive responses. It does not explain how an operant routine passes from one group member to another.

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