ABA Terms Flashcards
Abative effect (of motivating operation)
A decrease in the current frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by the stimulus that is increased in reinforcing effectiveness by the same motivating operation
Abolishing operation (AO)
A motivating operation that decreases the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event.
Alternating treatments design
An experimental design in which two or more conditions are presented in rapidly alternating succession independent of the level of responding; also called concurrent schedule, multielement design, multiple schedule design
Antecedent
environmental condition or stimulus change existing or occurring prior to a behavior of interest
Antecedent intervention
A behavior change strategy that manipulates contingency-independent antecedent stimuli.
Antecedent stimulus class
a set of stimuli that share a common relationship. All stimuli in an antecedent stimulus class evoke the same operant behaviour or elicit the same respondent behaviour
automatic punishment
Punishment that occurs independent of the social mediation by others
automatic reinforcement
Reinforcement that occurs independent of the social mediation of others
aversive stimulus
unpleasant or noxious stimulus; more technically a stimulus change or condition that functions (a) to evoke a behavior that has terminated it in the past (b) as a punisher when presented following behavior (c) as a reinforcer when withdrawn following behavior
back up reinforcers
tangible objects, activities, or privileges that serve as reinforcers and that can be purchased with tokens.
backward chaining
A teaching procedure in which a trainer completes all but the last behavior in a chain which is performed by the learner, who then receives reinforcement for completing the chain. When the learner shows competence in performing the final step in the chain, the trainer performs all but the last two behaviors in the chain, the learner emits the final two steps to complete the chain, and reinforcement is delivered. This sequence is continued until the learner completes the entire chain independently.
3 levels of scientific understanding
DPC
Description
Prediction
Control
Description
Systematic observations that can be quantified & classified
Prediction
AKA: correlation; covariation
2 events may regularly occur at the same time. This does not mean one causes the other
Control
AKA: causation
Functional relation.
The highest level of scientific understanding.
Experimental demonstration that manipulating one event (IV) results in another event (DV).
6 attitudes of science
Philosophical assumptions of behaviour
Abbreviation: DEER PP
Determinism Empiricism Experimentation Replication Parsimony Philosophical Doubt
Determinism
Cause & effect
Lawfulness
Orderly & predictable
Empiricism
Facts
Experimental, data-based scientific approach, drawing upon observation & experience.
Requires objective qualification & detailed description of events.
Experimentation
Basic strategy of most sciences.
Requires manipulating variables to see effects on DV.
Experiment to determine if one event caused another.
Replication
Repeating experiments
Parsimony
The simplest theory.
All simple & logical explanations must be ruled out first before complex explanations
Philosophical Doubt
Having healthy skepticism & a critical eye
7 dimensions of ABA
Abbreviation : BATCAGE or GET A CAB
Behavioral Applied Technological Conceptually Systematic Analytic Generality Effective
Behavioral
Observable events.
Must be a behvaiour in need of improvement.
Applied
Socially significant behaviours
Technological
Procedures clearly & precisely so they are replicable.
RECIPE
Conceptually Systematic
Procedures should be based on principles of ABA
Analytic
AKA: Functional Relation, Experimentation, Control, Causation
A functional relation is demonstrated.
Generality
AKA: Generalization
Extends behaviour change across time, settings, or to other behaviours
Effective
Improves behaviour in a practical manner
2 types of behaviour
Respondent
Operant
Respondent Behaviour
AKA: Reflex, Reflexive Relations, Unconditioned, US-UR
Elicited
Involuntary
Reflex
Habituation
Habituation
Eliciting stimulus is presented repeatedly that respondent behaviour diminishes
Respondent conditioning
AKA: Classical Conditioning, Pavlovian Conditioning, S-S Pairing, CS-CR
When new stimuli acquire the ability to elicit respondents.
Operant Behaviour
AKA: S-R-S, 3 term contingency, ABC
Emit/evoke
Bx whose probability is determined by its history of consequences.
Voluntary action.
Operants defined in terms of their relationship to controlling variables.
FUNCTION.
Encompasses both reinforcement & punishment.
Adaptation
Adaptation
Reductions in responding by repeated or prolonged presentation to antecedent stimulus.
Operant Contingency
AKA: Behavioral Contingency, Contingency, 3-term Contingency, ABC
The occasion for a response (SD), the response, & the outcome.
The dependency of a particular consequence on the occurrence of the behaviour.
Reinforcer or punisher is “contingent” on a behaviour.
3 Principles of Behaviour
Abbreviation: PER
Punishment
Extinction
Reinforcement
All strategies are derived from these 3 principles.
Behavioural Repertoire
- All behaviours that an individual can do.
2. A collection of knowledge & skills an individual has learned that are relevant to a particular task.
Environment
Complex, dynamic universe of events that differs from instance to instance.
All behaviour occurs within an environmental context
Stimulus
Physical events that affect the behaviour of an individual.
Internal or external to the individual.
Stimulus Class
A group of antecedent stimuli that have a common effect on an operant class.
Group members of a stimulus class tend to evoke or abate the same behaviour or response class, yet may vary across physical dimensions.
3 Types of Stimulus Classes
FTF (For The Fun)
Formal: Physical features
Temporal: time
Functional: effect of the stimulus on the behaviour, can be multiple functions of a single stimulus
Consequences
Only affect FUTURE behaviour.
Consequences select response classes, NOT individual responses.
Immediate consequences have the greatest effect.
Reinforcement
Does NOT only strengthen rate. Also strengthen:
- Duration
- Latency
- Magnitude
- Topography
What happens right before reinforcement will be reinforced.
Delayed consequence are not technically reinforcement, but they can influence behvaiour.
Positive Reinforcement
AKA: Type 1 Reinforcement; Sr+
A PROCESS that occurs when a behaviour is followed immediately by the presentation of a stimulus that increases FUTURE frequency of the behaviour in similar conditions.
MOST IMPORTANT & WIDELY USED CONCEPT IN ABA.
5 Types of Positive Reinforcers
Abbreviation:EATSS
Edible Activity Tangible Social Sensory
Negative Reinforcement
AKA: Type II Reinforcement; Sr-
A PROCESS that occurs when a behaviour is followed immediately by the REDUCTION or REMOVAL of a stimulus that increases the FUTURE frequency of the behaviour in similar conditions.
2 Types of Negative Reinforcement
- Escape
2. Avoidance
Escape
A behaviour allows escape from an ongoing aversive stimulus.
Stimulus is often already present or in the environment.
Avoidance
A response that prevents or postpones the presentation of a stimulus.
Stimulus is not in the environment.
Unconditioned Reinforcer/Reinforcement
AKA: UCR; Primary Reinforcer; Unlearned Reinforcer
A stimulus change that can increase the future frequency of behaviour without prior pairing without any other form of reinforcement.
No learning history required.
Conditioned Reinforcer/Reinforcement
AKA: CR; Secondary Reinforcer; Learned Reinforcer
When a previously neutral stimulus acquired the ability to function as a reinforcer through S-S pairing with one or more unconditioned or conditioned reinforcers.
-Learning history required.
Generalized Conditioned Reinforcer
AKA: Generalized Reinforcer; GCSR
A type of conditioned reinforcer that has been paired with many unconditioned & conditioned reinforcers.
Does not depend on an MO for its effectiveness.
They are likely to be reinforcing at any time.
Same reinforcement is given to people with different preferences.
Punishment
AKA: SD-; SDP; SP; Punishment-based SD
When a response if followed immediately by a stimulus that decreases the FUTURE frequency of similar responses.
- Defined by function, not topography.
- Defined by future effects on bx.
- 2-term contingency: Behavior–>Consequence
- Becomes 3-term contingency when you add the antecedent, “Discriminative Effects of Punishment”, when punishment occurs only in some conditions & not in others.
Punisher
A stimulus change that decreases the future frequency of the bx that immediately precedes it
Positive Punishment
AKA: Type I Punishment
A PROCESS that occurs when a stimulus is added immediately following a bx that results in a decrease in FUTURE frequency of the bx.
5 Types of Positive Punishment Interventions
Abbreviation: ROSER
Reprimands Overcorrection Shock/Contingent Electrical Stimulation/ECT Exercise/Contingent Exercise Response Blocking
Overcorrection
2 Types:
- Restitutional Overcorrection: repair environment better than original state
- Positive Practice Overcorrection: individual is required to correctly repeat bx for a certain amount of time or a certain number of times
Response Blocking
Physically intervening as soon as individual begins to emit bx to “block” the completion of the response
Negative Punishment
AKA: Type II Punishment; Penalty Principle; Penalty Contingency
A PROCESS when a response is immediately followed by removal of a stimulus (or decrease in intensity of stimulus) that decreases the FUTURE frequency of similar responses
Negative Punishment Procedures
Response Cost
Time-Out
Response Cost
Loss of a specific amount of reinforcement contingent on a bx. -Produces mod-to-rapid decrease in bx 2 Methods 1. Bonus Response Cost 2. Direct Fines
Bonus Response Cost
When you make additional non-contingent reinforcers available to the individual & then take those away.
Example: Students usually get 15 minutes of recess daily, but you give them a “bonus” 15 minutes, so you can take away those extra minutes.
Direct Fines
Direct loss of positive reinforcers
Time-Out
AKA: Time-Out from Positive Reinforcement
2 Types:
- Non-Exclusionary Time-Out
- Exclusionary Time-Out
Non-Exclusionary Time-Out
Individual not removed from space.
Preferred over exclusionary bc it is less restrictive.
4 Types: (IWOR)
- Ignoring/Planned ignoring
- Withdrawal of a Specific Positive Reinforcer
- Observation/Contingent Observation
- Ribbon/Time-Out Ribbon
Ignoring/Planned Ignoring
social reinforcers removed for a specific amount of time
Observation/Contingent Observation
Individual is re-positioned in room, so they can observe everything, but not participate.
Ribbon/Time-Out Ribbon
Colored band placed on individual’s wrist. This becomes discriminated for getting reinforcement.
Ribbon on = can earn reinforcement
Ribbon off = cannot earn reinforcement
Exclusionary Time-Out
Individual removed from space.
3 Types: (RPH)
- Room/Time-Out Room
- Partition Time-Out
- Hallway Time-Out
Room/Time-Out Room
Confined space outside of normal environment; devoid of positive reinforcers.
- Individual safely placed
- Should be located near time-in setting
- minimal furnishing
Partition Time-Out
Individual remains in room, but view is restricted by wall or partition
Hallway Time-Out
Individual sits in hallway
Extinction
A procedure where maintaining reinforcement is not longer provided, to decrease future behaviour.
- Not punishment
- Ext will be more rapid for behaviour maintained on CRF schedule
Unwanted effects of Extinction
- Extinction bursts
- Extinction induced aggression
- Difficult to use on clients that rarely display the target behaviour
- Difficult to know what the reinforcer is for a behaviour
- Difficult or dangerous to ignore
- Extinction NOT used in a treatment package can cause ethical concerns
Extinction Burst
The Burst is First
Immediate increase in frequency of responding
Spontaneous Recovery
Behaviour diminished during extinction reoccurs even though behaviour does not produce reinforcement.
Discriminative Stimulus
AKA: SD
Let’s you know that reinforcement is available
Stimulus Delta
AKA: S∆
Stimulus that tells that reinforcement is not available OR has NOT received reinforcement in the past
Motivating Operation (MO)
Something that changes the value of a stimulus as a reinforcer.
Describes an environmental variable that:
-alters (increase or decreases) the reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus
-alters (increases or decreases) the current frequency of all behaviour that have been reinforced by that stimulus.
Stimulus Generalization
Same behaviour, different conditions
-loose stimulus control
-WITHIN Stimulus Class
Example: All shades of green
Stimulus Discrimination
New stimuli do NOT evoke the same response as the controlling stimulus
-tight stimulus control
-BETWEEN/ACROSS Stimulus Classes
Example: Green vs. other colours
Stimulus Discrimination Training
AKA: Discrimination Training
A procedure where responses are reinforced in the presence of one stimulus condition (SD) and NOT in the presence of other (S∆)
2 Types of Motivating Operations
Establishing Operation (EO) Abolishing Operation (AO)
Establishing Operation
INCREASES the effectiveness of a stimulus as a reinforcer.
Makes something MORE desirable to you(Deprivation)
Abolishing Operation
DECREASES the effectiveness of a stimulus as a reinforcer.
Makes something LESS desirable to you(Satiation)
Schedules of Reinforcement
A rule that describes a contingency of reinforcement. Determines conditions by which behaviours will be reinforced.
Continuous Reinforcement Schedule (CRF)
Provides reinforcement for every occurence of behaviour.
Used for strengthening new behaviours.
Intermittent Schedules of Reinforcement(INT)
Some, but not all, occurrences of behaviour are reinforced.
Used for maintaining behaviours that have already been established.
4 Basic Schedules of intermittent Reinforcement
FVFV
Fixed Ratio
Variable Ratio
Fixed Interval
Variable Interval
Fixed Ratio (FR)
Constant, set criteria of number of responses of behaviour that have to occur before reinforcement.
Post-reinforcement Pause
High rates of responses
Variable Ratio(VR)
STRONGEST basic schedule of intermittent reinforcement.
Average of occurrences of the target behaviour before reinforcement.
Produces consistent, steady rates of response.
Fast rate of responses
Fixed Interval (FI)
Constant specific amount of time elapses before a single response produces reinforcement.
SCALLOP.
Slow-to-moderate rate of responses.
Variable Interval (VI)
Average amount of time elapses before single correct response produces reinforcement.
Constant, stable rate of responding.
Few hesitations between responses.
Low-to-moderate rate of responding
4 Functions of Behavior
SEAT
Sensory
Escape
Attention
Tangible
Premack Principle
A principle that states that making the opportunity to engage in a high-probability bEHAVIOUR contingent upon the occurrence of low-probability behaviour will function as a reinforcer for the low-probability behaviour.
-usually stated as a “first _____ and then ______.”
Shaping
The reinforcement of closer and closer approximations of a desired response or behaviour.
Teaches novel bx.
Forward Chaining
Behaviors identified in the task analysis are taught in their naturally occurring order.
Training the first link, the second link, the third link, etc.
The individual will not proceed to step 2 until the first step is mastered.
Once the first step is mastered, the learner will be required to complete steps 1 & 2 in order to earn reinforcement.
Backward Chaining
A procedure in which the trainer completes all the initial steps except for the last step.
The individual is taught to complete the last step.
The first behaviour the individual performs independently produces the terminal reinforcement.
Differential Reinforcement
Involves 2 parts:
- Reinforcement contingent on:
- occurrence of a bx other than the challenging bx
- challenging bx occurring at a reduced rate - Withholding Reinforcement for the challenging bx as much as possible
Extremely popular & effective strategy
6 Types of Differential Reinforcement
Differential Reinforcement of High Rates of Responding (DRH)
Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI)
Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of Responding (DRL)
Differential Reinforcement of Other Bx (DRO)
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Bx (DRA)
Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI)
A procedure in which behaviour cannot be emitted simultaneously with the challenging behaviour.
The behaviour being differentially reinforced & behaviour on ext are mutually exclusive response classes.A procedure in which behaviour cannot be emitted simultaneously with the challenging behaviour.
The behaviour being differentially reinforced & behaviour on ext are mutually exclusive response classes.
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)
A procedure in which one reinforces occurrence of bx that provides a desirable alternative to the problem bx; not necessarily bx incompatible with it.
Alternative bx & challenging bx are part of the same response class, meaning that the alternative bx will result in the same consequence as the challenging bx & thus will compete successfully bc it makes the challenging bx ineffective
Differential Reinforcement of Other Bx (DRO)
A procedure in which reinforcement is contingent on the absence of the challenging bx.
Reinforcers are received when challenging bx has NOT been displayed during or at certain time periods.
Prompts
Supplementary antecedent stimuli that are introduced to evoke a desired response when the discriminative stimulus is evident.
A functional, but irrelevant SD, such as a hint or reminder, designed to set the occasion for a desired response.
2 Types of Prompts
- Response Prompts
2. Stimulus Prompts
4 Ways to Remove Response Prompts
MLGD
Most-to-Least Prompting (AKA: Maximum-to-Minimum)
Least-to-Most Prompting (AKA: Minimum-to-Maximum)
Graduated Guidance
Delayed Prompting (AKA: Time-Delayed Prompting, Delayed Cuing, Progressive Delay)
2 Ways to Remove Stimulus Prompts
FS
Fading
Shape
