PSY 315J: Applied Behavior Analysis
Syllabus
Instructor: Josh Pritchard
Phone: 407.574.2639
E-mail: jpritchard@rollins.edu or
josh@joshpritchard.com
Location: Bush 207
Dates/Times: Thursday 6:45-9:15 PM
Texts:
 Chance, P. (2006) First Course in Applied Behavior Analysis. ISBN: 1577664728 Retail: $55.95
 Cyber Rat http://www.ai2inc.com/Store/Store/cr_purchase.html Retail: $25.00
 Additional readings provided as PDFs
Course Description:
After completing this course you will be able to discuss and use the concepts, principles, and processes derived
from the experimental analysis of behavior in your approach to your world. You will be able to relate these
principles to applied behavior analysis and its impact on the behavior of yourself and others.
Learning Objectives:
 You will be able to explain and discuss the various principles involved in the applied study of behavior
change
 You will be able to identify how applied behavior analytic techniques could be used to solve socially
significant problems
 You will have conducted a behavior change project to improve behavior of yourself or others
 You will have collected, graphed, and visually analyzed data from said project
 You will have fluent understanding of terminology of applied behavior analysis
Term Flashcards [100 points]
There will be four flashcard tests conducted during the semester. These will be over terms covered in the
intervening units. You will be provided with key terms and the grade break-down prior to each test [we will slowly
increase AIMs] – make flashcards and study them frequently [SAFMEDS]. Each flashcard test will be done via oral
timing session and your score will be based on rate of response (correct answers/min). Fluency is critical, and fast
accurate responding will yield a higher score.
Interteaching (40 points)
Inter-teaching is an arrangement for instruction developed by Boyce & Hineline (2002) and has been commonly
called peer tutoring or peer teaching (Vargas, 2010). An interteach is a mutually probing, mutually informing
conversation between two people lasting 30-40 minutes and dealing with the main points of the selected material
(Boyce & Hineline, 2002). They use instructor-prepared guides for the probe, and following the interteach, each
student fills out a record form. Included in this record form are topics that were difficult as well as topics that the
student would like covered in the next lecture. This provides the instructor guidance on what topics need review
and how to best address them. This method has been demonstrated to provide superior results compared to
traditional lectures and/or self-reading (Saville, Zinn, & Elliot, 2005; Saville, Zinn, Neef, Norman, & Ferreri; 2006).
There will be four weeks during which there will be an interteach assignment [indicated by an asterisk on our
schedule]. During these weeks, up to 30 minutes will be used for the interteach. You will rotate partners each
week, so that you never have the same partner as you did before. The week before, I will provide the interteach
guides for the probe. You can earn 10 points for each interteach. During the 30 minutes, I will be walking around
the room to answer questions and facilitate learning.
The professor reserves the right to modify the course syllabus as needed as the course progresses and external events
dictate. Any and all changes made will be announced either on the official Rollins College email and/or in class.
*****It is imperative that all students check your Rollins College email regularly. All students are responsible for
information sent via your official Rollins email address.
Cyberat [60 points]
Students must complete six CyberRat assignments. Each is worth 10 points for a total of 60 points. All six
assignments are due the week before finals. You cannot do all six in one week, so do not procrastinate! Details
will be provided during the second class.
Reading Check [60 points]
Most every week, there will be reading checks. You can earn 5 points each week for completing these. These will
be distributed the week before and cover the material from that week’s readings. They must be submitted online
before class.
Exams [90 points]
Each exam is worth 10 points. These will be short answer, and will largely come from the prior weekly learning
objectives provided. You will have 25 minutes to complete these exams. It is important to prepare well enough
that you are fluent with the material and can complete the exams in the time allotted. There are no make-up
exams provided except for documented excused absence per Rollin’s College policy and procedures. It is
important to e-mail me as soon as you know that you will be absent for us to arrange for this.
Paper [100 points]
There will be one 10-page paper written about topics provided by me demonstrating your mastery of applied
behavior analytic principles due by beginning of class of Week 13. Further details of paper requirements will be
provided in class of Week 4.
Behavior Change Project [50 points]
There will be a behavior change project conducted by you in which you asses and design an intervention for
change in behavior of yourself or another person. You must submit the behavior of interest, then an assessment
of the situation, and finally present a brief powerpoint detailing your project during Week 14. Further details will
be provided in class during week 3.
Tentative Schedule:
Wk
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Ch
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
F
Date
1/19/12
1/26/12
2/2/12
2/9/12
2/16/12
2/23/12
3/1/12
3/15/12
3/22/12
3/29/12
4/5/12
4/12/12
4/19/12
4/26/12
5/3/12
Session Content
Introduction + ABCs of Applied Behavior Analysis
Methods in Applied Behavior Analysis
Reinforcement
Prompting and Fading
Shaping and Chaining
Extinction and Differential Reinforcement
Punishment
Discrimination Training
Generalization Training
Maintenance
Counterconditioning
Ethics of Behavior Change
Presentation of Bx Change Projects
Final Exam
Test
CR
1
2
3*
FC
4
5*
FC
6
7*
FC
8
9*
FC
Details
Paper
Bx Change
Details
1
Details
Bx Choice
2
3
Draft 1
Asmnt Due
4
5
Final
6
PrezDue
*InterTeach
The professor reserves the right to modify the course syllabus as needed as the course progresses and external events dictate. Any and
all changes made will be announced either on the official Rollins College email and/or in class.
*****It is imperative that all students check your Rollins College email regularly. All students are responsible for information sent
via your official Rollins email address.
Honorific Behavior:
Membership in the student body of Rollins College carries with it an obligation, and requires a commitment, to act
with honor in all things. Because academic integrity is fundamental to the pursuit of knowledge and truth and is
the heart of the academic life of Rollins College, it is the responsibility of all members of the College community to
practice it and to report apparent violations.
The following pledge is a binding commitment by the students of Rollins College:
The development of the virtues of Honor and Integrity are integral to a Rollins College education and to
membership in the Rollins College community. Therefore, I, a student of Rollins College, pledge to show my
commitment to these virtues by abstaining from any lying, cheating, or plagiarism in my academic endeavors and
by behaving responsibly, respectfully and honorably in my social life and in my relationships with others.
This pledge is reinforced every time a student submits work for academic credit as his/her own. Students shall add
to all papers, quizzes, tests, lab reports, etc., the following handwritten abbreviated pledge followed by their
signature:
“On my honor, I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work.”
Material submitted electronically should contain the pledge; submission implies signing the pledge.
Students with Disabilities
Rollins College is committed to equal access and does not discriminate unlawfully against persons with disabilities
in its policies, procedures, programs, or employment processes. The College recognizes its obligations under the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to provide an environment that does
not discriminate against persons with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability and anticipate needing any
type of academic accommodations in order to participate in your classes, please make timely arrangements by
disclosing this disability in writing to the Disability Services Office at (Campus Box 2613) - Thomas P. Johnson
Student Resource Center, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, FL, 37289; call 407- 646-2354 for an appointment; or email:
gridgeway@rollins.edu.
Course Grading Scale
460 - 500 A
450 - 460 A440 - 450 B+
410 - 440 B
400 - 410 B390 - 400 C+
360 - 390 C
350 - 360 C340 - 350 D+
310 - 340 D
300 - 310 D-
The professor reserves the right to modify the course syllabus as needed as the course progresses and external events dictate. Any and
all changes made will be announced either on the official Rollins College email and/or in class.
*****It is imperative that all students check your Rollins College email regularly. All students are responsible for information sent
via your official Rollins email address.