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Stimulus control transfer ABA means a response comes under the control of the relevant stimulus instead of an extra prompt. Tested under C.6 of the BACB RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), discrimination training teaches different responding when different stimuli are present.
How C.6 Appears On Study Questions#
The RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) states C.6 as: "Implement discrimination training." That wording points to following a procedure that makes one stimulus relevant and another irrelevant for a response.
C.6 practice scenarios can ask learners to:
- Identify the stimulus that signals reinforcement for a response.
- Distinguish the SD from the S-delta in a teaching example.
- Notice whether a prompt or the target stimulus is controlling the response.
- Separate discrimination training from generalization, chaining, shaping, and prompt fading.
The parent rbt behavior acquisition study guide shows where C.6 sits among the Domain C teaching procedures. After this page, the rbt practice test behavior acquisition mixes discrimination items with other acquisition tasks so the page topic does not cue the answer.
SD, S-Delta, And Stimulus Control#
The table separates terms that appear together in C.6 examples.
| Term | Plain-language meaning | Example in a teaching scenario | RBT-level focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discriminative stimulus, or SD | The stimulus that signals reinforcement is available for a response. | A red card is present, and saying "red" earns the listed consequence. | Present the correct materials and deliver the consequence specified for the response. |
| S-delta | A stimulus that signals reinforcement is not available for that response. | A blue card is present, and saying "red" does not earn the listed consequence. | Avoid reinforcing the target response in the wrong stimulus condition. |
| Stimulus discrimination | Different responding occurs in the presence of different stimuli. | The learner says "red" for red cards and not for blue cards. | Follow the teaching rule for each stimulus condition. |
| Stimulus control | The relevant stimulus reliably evokes the response. | The learner labels the exit sign when that sign is present. | Check whether the response matches the target stimulus, not an extra prompt. |
| Stimulus control transfer | Control shifts from a prompt to the target stimulus. | A point prompt is faded until the printed label controls sorting. | Fade or delay prompts exactly as the written procedure states. |
Discrimination training is broader than one label. The RBT-level task is implementation: presenting the stimulus arrangement, applying the planned consequence, fading extra help when the procedure says to, and recording what happened.
Implementation Pattern#
The steps below describe the C.6 pattern for exam study, not real-client instructions outside a supervising BCBA's written plan.
- Read the teaching procedure for the target response, SD, comparison stimuli, prompt rule, consequence rule, and data code.
- Present the stimulus arrangement exactly as listed, such as a named card, object, sign, picture, or spoken cue.
- Deliver reinforcement for the target response in the SD condition according to the procedure.
- Do not deliver that same reinforcement for the target response in the S-delta condition when the procedure says reinforcement is unavailable.
- Fade, delay, or remove prompts only according to the written transfer procedure.
- Record whether the response matched the correct stimulus condition.
- Report errors, prompt dependence, or unclear stimulus control instead of changing the procedure independently.
Prompts often appear inside C.6 teaching, but the prompt is not the final target. When the scenario turns on the amount or timing of assistance, compare C.6 with prompting before choosing an answer.
Examples And Non-Examples#
The examples below separate discrimination training from nearby acquisition procedures.
| Scenario | Example? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The learner touches the spoon when the spoon is named and does not touch the fork when "spoon" is said. | Yes | The response depends on the relevant stimulus, not on touching any item. |
| The learner asks for bubbles during play after seeing bubbles, then asks again with a different therapist in a different room. | Not mainly C.6 | The scenario emphasizes responding across people and settings, which points more directly to generalization. |
| The RBT models the correct selection at first, then delays the model until the picture itself evokes the selection. | Yes | The example shows transfer from extra help to the target stimulus. |
| The learner practices opening a backpack by completing step one, then step two, then later steps. | No, chaining | The task is an ordered response sequence, not different responding to different stimuli. |
| The RBT reinforces closer mouth shapes until "water" is clearer. | No, shaping | The response form changes gradually; the stimulus condition is not the main contrast. |
The chaining contrast is common because C.5 and C.6 both teach new behavior. Use task analysis when a scenario depends on ordered routine steps rather than which stimulus signals the response.
Worked Stimulus-Control Transfer Scenario#
This worked example shows how the same target response can move from prompt control to stimulus control.
| Teaching moment | What controls the response? | What the RBT observes | Study interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early trials | A point prompt plus the picture card | The learner touches the card after the point prompt. | The prompt is still part of the controlling stimulus. |
| Transfer trials | The picture card after a brief delay | The learner touches the card before the point prompt appears. | Control is shifting from the prompt to the picture. |
| Later trials | The picture card alone | The learner touches the card when the card is present and not when a different card is named. | The target stimulus is controlling the response. |
| Error pattern | The prompt or item position | The learner touches the same location even when cards move. | The response may be controlled by the wrong cue. |
This table does not claim that C.6 questions use a fixed format. The study point is that stimulus control transfer depends on what evokes the response: the target stimulus, an extra prompt, or an irrelevant cue.
Common Mistakes#
The mistakes below are the traps that make C.6 harder than memorizing definitions.
- Calling every correct response stimulus control even when a prompt still controls the response.
- Confusing discrimination with generalization; discrimination narrows responding to the relevant stimulus, while generalization extends appropriate responding across relevant variations.
- Reinforcing the target response in both the SD and S-delta conditions when the written procedure calls for different consequences.
- Calling a multistep routine discrimination training because several materials are present.
- Treating "SD" as a synonym for any instruction; the SD is the stimulus condition that signals reinforcement for a particular response.
If the target response is a word, label, request, echoic, or listener response, compare the teaching example with verbal behavior aba after identifying which stimulus controls the response.
Practice Questions#
The table reports actual task tags on this page and keeps them separate from official scored-exam weights.
| Practice focus | Items on this page | Task tags used | Official scored-exam reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| C.6 teaching scenarios | 5 | C.6 | Domain C has 19 scored questions (25%) out of 75 scored questions, per the RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) and RBT Handbook. |
These original questions test C.6 implementation without using BACB exam content.
1. During table work, Sam earns a token for touching the picture named by the RBT. Touching the other pictures does not earn a token. Which label best fits?
A Correct. The response contacts reinforcement in the presence of the relevant stimulus, not the other pictures.
B Across-setting responding points to generalization across places or people.
C Step-sequence teaching points to chaining a routine with ordered responses.
D Time-sample scoring points to discontinuous measurement, not teaching a response to a cue.
2. A program says to reinforce "big" when the large cup is shown and not after the same word for the small cup. What feature should the technician track?
A Same response across settings would point more directly to generalization.
B Correct. The relevant feature is whether the response changes with the stimulus condition.
C Longer response duration concerns how long behavior lasts, not which stimulus controls it.
D Faster trial materials concerns pace or set-up, not the controlling stimulus.
3. In a sorting lesson, the RBT first points to the correct bin, then later removes that extra help so the printed label controls where the item goes. What changed?
A Reinforcer size would change the consequence magnitude, not what evokes the response.
B Session length would change the amount of time, not the source of stimulus control.
C Correct. The response shifted from extra help to the printed label as the controlling cue.
D Response count would measure how many responses occurred, not what controlled them.
4. A learner selects the community sign labeled EXIT when asked "Where do we leave?" but not signs labeled ENTER or OFFICE. Which relation is strongest?
A Same answer anywhere would ignore the difference between the signs.
B Random item choice would mean the response is not reliably tied to the sign.
C Delayed token trade describes a reinforcement system rather than the stimulus-response relation.
D Correct. The answer is tied to the relevant sign and not to the other signs.
5. During play, Priya says "car" for toy cars and does not say "car" for toy boats after differential consequences. What outcome is shown?
A Correct. The response is separated by which item is present.
B More steps joined in order points to chaining, not different responding by item.
C Skill used in new places points to generalization across settings.
D Behavior counted per minute points to rate measurement, not the teaching outcome.
FAQ
What is a discriminative stimulus?
A discriminative stimulus is a stimulus that signals a response can contact reinforcement in that context. In an ABA study example, a red card can be the SD for saying "red" when that response earns the programmed consequence.
What is stimulus control?
Stimulus control means the relevant stimulus reliably evokes the response. For RBT exam study, the important question is whether the response occurs because of the target stimulus rather than an extra prompt, position cue, or unrelated feature.
What is discrimination training in ABA?
Discrimination training in ABA teaches different responding in the presence of different stimuli. A learner may respond one way when the SD is present and not respond that way when an S-delta is present.
What is stimulus control transfer?
Stimulus control transfer is the shift from prompt control to target-stimulus control. A prompt may help early responding, but the teaching goal is for the relevant card, word, object, sign, or situation to evoke the response.
Is discrimination the same as generalization?
No. Discrimination means responding differently when stimuli differ in relevant ways. Generalization means using the learned response across appropriate people, places, materials, or examples.
Sources
- RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), updated 09/2024, overview, Domain C allocation, and C.6 task statement.
- RBT Handbook, updated 06/2026, examination item context.