PSYCH309

SEMESTER 1, 2020 – FINAL ASSESSMENT ANSWER BOOKLET

This is a 2 hour assessment which you have 24 hours to complete and submit on Canvas.
This test is due online before 1:00pm on 1 July 2020. Remember not to submit at precisely 1:00pm.

You must answer three essay questions in total. One of the questions must be chosen from Section 1, and one must be
chosen from Section 2. The third may be chosen from Section 1, 2, or 3.
You should write each essay in a separate answer booklet (i.e., in a separate file), and upload each file to the
relevant assignment on Canvas.
Your document should be double-spaced and in 12-point font. Each essay should be no longer than 850 words.
It is your responsibility to ensure your Answer Booklet is successfully submitted on time, and that the answer booklet
format is not changed. Ensure it is downloadable and readable by the course markers.

By completing this assessment, I agree to the following declaration:

I understand the University expects all students to complete coursework with integrity and honesty. I promise to
complete all online assessment with the same academic integrity standards and values. Any identified form of poor
academic practice or academic misconduct will be followed up and may result in disciplinary action.
As a member of the University’s student body, I will complete this assessment in a fair, honest, responsible and
trustworthy manner. This means that:
·         I declare that this assessment is my own work, except where acknowledged appropriately (e.g., use of
referencing).
·         I will not seek out any unauthorised help in completing this assessment.
·         I declare that this work has not been submitted for academic credit in another University of Auckland
course, or elsewhere.
·         I am aware the University of Auckland may use Turnitin or any other plagiarism detecting methods to check
my content.
·         I will not discuss the content of the assessment with anyone else in any form, including, Canvas, Piazza,
Facebook, Twitter or any other social media within the assessment period.
·         I will not reproduce the content of this assessment anywhere in any form.
The questions from which you may choose are:
Section 1.
1. Describe research on stimulus equivalence and emerging stimulus relations.  Be sure to include in your answer
evidence on whether reinforcers and responses can become part of equivalence classes, and the implications of
that for Sidman’s (2000) theory.
2. Describe Shahan and Sweeney’s (2011) model of resurgence and evaluate how successful their model is in
accounting for resurgence.
3. Describe the assertions of behavioural momentum theory and explain how the theory accounts for the partial
reinforcement extinction effect (PREE).
Section 2.
4. Discuss the similarities and differences between observable operant behaviour (e.g., key-pecking) and attention.
Refer to experimental evidence in your answer.
5. Write the equation for the generalized matching law and the contingency discriminability model, and use
research to assess which model gives a better account of how reinforcers affect choice.
6. Discuss research showing how responding may be reduced by 1.) a consequence that is not naturally aversive;
2.) the stimulus context; and 3.) gradual versus abrupt introduction of an aversive stimulus.
Section 3.
7. As part of the ABA lectures you covered the topics related to applying behavioural principles to your own
behaviour. 1.) Describe one contingency that relates to your own behaviour, and 2.) Outline ONE antecedent
strategy AND ONE consequence-based strategy that that you could use to change your own behaviour.

8. ABA focuses on function of behaviour rather than the typography of behaviour. 1.) Compare and contrast these
two approaches; 2.) describe how a behaviour analyst might assess function of a behaviour; and 3.) with
reference to interventions, explain why is identifying the function important. 

9. Outline THREE examples of where an ABA intervention would be considered conceptually systematic. Ensure
you include both basic and applied research to support your answer. 
 PSYCH309
SEMESTER 1, 2020 – FINAL ASSESSMENT ANSWER BOOKLET

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