Chapter 16 Flashcards
Define escape conditioning. Describe how it was used with Joanne.
The principle of escape conditioning—also called negative reinforcement—states that the removal of certain stimuli— called aversive stimuli—immediately after the occurrence of a behavior will increase the likelihood of that behavior.
In the second component of the treatment used with Joanne, the removal of the loud tone following the response of showing good posture was an escape procedure that increased the probability that she would show good posture as an escape response in the presence of the tone.
How is escape conditioning similar to punishment? In what two procedural ways do they differ? How do their effects differ?
Escape conditioning is similar to punishment in that both involve the use of an aversive stimulus. While escape conditioning and punishment are therefore similar, they differ procedurally in terms of both the antecedents and the consequences of behavior. With regard to punishment, as illustrated by the first component of the treatment procedure with Joanne, the aversive stimulus (the loud tone) is not present before the response (Joanne’s slouching); rather it is presented after the response. With regard to escape conditioning, as illustrated by the second component of Joanne’s treatment, the aversive stimulus (the loud tone) must be present prior to an escape response, and the aversive stimulus is removed immediately following the escape response. In terms of results, the punishment procedure decreases the likelihood of the target response of slouching whereas the escape conditioning procedure increases the likelihood of the target response of exhibiting good posture.
Describe two examples of escape conditioning in everyday life, one of which is not in this chapter.
Escape conditioning is common in everyday living. In the presence of a bright light, we have learned to escape the intensity of the light by closing our eyes or squinting. When a room is too cold, we escape the chill by putting on an extra sweater (see Figure 16.1). When it is too hot, we escape the heat by turning on a fan or air conditioner. If a street crew is repairing the street outside your room, you might close the window to escape the noise.
*What is another name for escape conditioning? Why is it called that?
Negative reinforcement. The term “reinforcement” indicates that it is analogous to positive reinforcement in that both strengthen responses that they follow. The term “negative” indicates that the strengthening effect occurs because the response leads to the removal of an aversive stimulus.
In what two procedural ways is negative reinforcement different from positive reinforcement? How are their effects similar?
As stated in Chapter 6, another name for escape conditioning is negative reinforcement (Skinner, 1953). The word reinforcement indicates that it is analogous to positive reinforcement in that both strengthen responses. The word negative indicates that the strengthening effect occurs because the response leads to the removal or the taking away of an aversive stimulus.
Different: a) Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus following a certain behaviour, whereas positive reinforcement involves presenting a desirable stimulus following a certain behaviour.
b) Negative reinforcement requires an undesirable behaviour to cease, and a desirable (escape) response to occur, whereas positive reinforcement simply occurs a positive behaviour to occur.
Similar: Both procedures increase the chances of the target behaviour occurring in a similar situation. ?
Define avoidance conditioning. Describe how it was used with Joanne.
Escape conditioning has the disadvantage that the aversive stimulus must be present for the desired response to occur. In the escape procedure used with Joanne, the loud tone was on before she showed good posture. Therefore, escape conditioning is generally not a final contingency for maintaining behavior but is preparatory training for avoidance conditioning. us, a er she had demonstrated escape behavior, Joanne was influenced by avoidance conditioning.
The principle of avoidance conditioning states that if a behavior prevents an aversive stimulus from occurring, then that will result in an increase in the frequency of that behavior. During the avoidance procedure used with Joanne, good posture prevented the tone from occurring.
Give another name for warning stimulus.
Conditioned aversive stimulus
Warning stimulus, also called conditioned aversive stimulus, which is a stimulus that signals a forthcoming aversive stimulus.
What is the name of the type of avoidance conditioning that involves a warning stimulus?
This type of avoidance conditioning, which includes a warning signal that enables the individual to discriminate a forthcoming aversive stimulus, is called discriminated avoidance conditioning.
How is a warning stimulus different from an SDp, defined in Chapter 15?
S^Dp is a stimulus in the presence of which a specific response is punished.
Warning stimulus, also called conditioned aversive stimulus, which is a stimulus that signals a forthcoming aversive stimulus.
What are two procedural differences between escape conditioning and avoidance conditioning?
Note that both escape conditioning and avoidance conditioning involve the use of an aversive stimulus. And with both, the likelihood of a behavior increases.
However, one difference between escape and avoidance conditioning is that an escape response removes an aversive stimulus that has already occurred while an avoidance response prevents an aversive stimulus from occurring at all.
A second difference between escape and avoidance conditioning is that the latter often involves a warning stimulus, also called conditioned aversive stimulus, which is a stimulus that signals a forthcoming aversive stimulus.
Describe two examples of avoidance conditioning in everyday life, one of which is not in this chapter.
1)
Situation: While driving, you are exceeding the speed limit
Warning Stimulus: You notice a police car just ahead
Avoidance Response: You immediately turn down a street
Immediate Consequence: You no longer see the police car
Aversive Consequence Avoided: You avoid receiving a speeding ticker
2)
Situation: A child playing in her front yard sees the neighbor’s dog barking
Warning Stimulus: The child feels anxious
Avoidance Response: The child goes into her house
Immediate Consequence: The child feels less anxious
Aversive Consequence Avoided: The child avoids hearing the loud barking
3)
Situation: One of the authors is about to leave his office to go home
Warning Stimulus: He remembers that his son is practicing his drumming at home
Avoidance Response: He phones home to ask his son to stop practicing
Immediate Consequence: Thoughts of encountering loud drumming cease
Aversive Consequence Avoided: He avoids experiencing extremely loud drumming when he enters his house
Describe three types of immediate consequences that might maintain avoidance responses.
1) One possibility in discriminated avoidance conditioning is that the avoidance response is strengthened because it immediately terminates the warning stimulus.
2) A second possible explanation of discriminated avoidance conditioning is that, in some cases, the avoidance response enables a person to immediately escape from anxious feelings.
3) A third possible explanation is that in some cases, the avoidance response enables a person to immediately escape from unpleasant thoughts.
Briefly describe an example of how people unknowingly strengthen others’ undesirable behavior by allowing such behavior to lead to escape or avoidance of aversive stimuli.
People often unknowingly strengthen others’ undesirable behavior by allowing such behavior to lead to escape or avoidance of aversive stimuli.
Ex: Aversive Situation: A teacher presents a prompt every 30 seconds to a child with developmental disabilities Escape Response by Individual: The child begins to tantrum Removal of Aversive Situation: The teacher gives the child a break from the training program Long-Term Effect: The child likely tantrums when presented with frequent prompts from the teacher
Describe an example of the inadvertent establishment of conditioned aversive stimuli, which then causes individuals to avoid or escape those stimuli.
Parents may inadvertently establish inappropriate verbal behavior with a child who desperately promises, “I’ll be good; I won’t do it again,” to escape or avoid punishment for some infraction of parental authority. When such pleas are successful, the pleading behavior is strengthened and thus increased in frequency under similar circumstances, but the undesirable behavior the parent meant to decrease may have been affected very little or not at all. Verbal behavior having little relation to reality may be increased while the undesirable target response may persist in strength.
Another example of this pitfall sometimes can be seen when prisoners learn to make the “right” verbal statements to obtain early parole. A second variety of the unaware-misapplication pitfall is the inadvertent establishment of conditioned aversive stimuli to which an individual then responds in such a way as to escape or avoid them. For example, if a coach yells at, criticizes, and ridicules athletes, the athletes may show improved skills primarily to avoid or escape the coach’s wrath. But in the process, the coach has become a conditioned aversive stimulus for the athletes, so that they are now likely to avoid the coach. If the coaching tactics become too aversive, everything associated with the sport will become aversive, and some team members might even quit it entirely.
A third variety of this pitfall is that in some situations, a person might be inadvertently influenced by escape and avoidance conditioning to positively reinforce the undesirable behavior of others. An example with regard to escape conditioning is the first example in Table 16.1. An example with regard to avoidance conditioning is the reinforcement of a threat because it prevents the more aversive behavior that might follow, such as when a parent gives a child a candy because the child threatens to cry if candy is not forthcoming.
Explain with an example of your own why an individual might unknowingly positively reinforce the undesirable behavior of another individual. (Hint: See the first example in Table 16.1.) Clearly identify the behavior principles involved.
Anna has cookies, and her sister keeps kicking her and saying “Give me one”. Anna gives her sister a cookie and the sister stops kicking. The next time Anna has cookies, her sister again begins to kick her and say “Give me one”. The behaviour principle involves with this is escape conditioning. ?
