BCBA Plan

Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations: practice questions

2 original questions · 2 editor-approved · every choice explained.

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Blueprint-mapped questions with full rationales for every choice.

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Behaviorism and Philosophical FoundationsDifficulty 2/5

A behavior analyst rules out a complex explanation until simpler ones have been tested and rejected. Which philosophical assumption is being applied?

  1. AParsimony
  2. BPragmatism
  3. CEmpiricism
  4. DDeterminism
Show answer and rationale

Correct: A. Parsimony requires that simple, logical explanations be ruled out experimentally before more complex or abstract ones are considered. Determinism assumes lawful causes, empiricism requires objective observation, and pragmatism judges an account by whether it works.

  • D — Determinism is the assumption that the universe is lawful and orderly.
  • B — Pragmatism evaluates truth by effective action.
  • C — Empiricism is the practice of objective observation and measurement.
Behaviorism and Philosophical FoundationsDifficulty 3/5

A published intervention is described as 'staff provided encouragement as needed.' Which dimension of applied behavior analysis does this description fail?

  1. AAnalytic, because experimental control over the behavior must be demonstrated
  2. BTechnological
  3. CEffective, because the change must be large enough to matter in practice
  4. DApplied, because the behavior targeted must be socially significant
Show answer and rationale

Correct: B. The technological dimension requires procedures to be identified and described clearly enough for another competent practitioner to replicate them. 'Encouragement as needed' cannot be replicated.

  • D — Applied concerns the social significance of the behavior targeted.
  • A — Analytic concerns demonstrating experimental control.
  • C — Effective concerns whether the change is large enough to matter practically.

Primary references

  1. BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.), in effect since 2025 — Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-22, verified 2026-09-22