Content Area E: Behavior Change Procedures

Question 1

Discriminant Operant

Answer 1

a behavior that occurs more frequently under some antecedent conditions than it does in others

Question 2

Stimulus control

Answer 2

Becase a discriminated operant occurs at a higher frequency in the presense of a given stimulus than it does in the absence of that stimulus it is said to be under stimulus control.

A stimulus acquires control only when responses emitted in the presense of that stimulus produce reinforcement more often than responses in the absence of stimulus.

Question 3

S^d

Answer 3

An S^D is a stimulus that controls a type of behavior because that stimulus has been related to the differential availability of an effective reinforcer for that type of behavior. Differential availability means that the relevant consequence has been available in the presence of, and unavailable in the presense of, the stimulus.

A true S^D constitutes at least a probabalistic guarantee that the relevant consequence will follow the response (pg.377)

Question 4

Three-term contingency

Answer 4

antecedent, behavior and consequence, is sometimes called the ABCs of behavior analysis

Question 5

Contingency

Answer 5

the temporal and functional relations between behavior and antecedent and consequent variables

Question 6

Contingent

Answer 6

when a reinforcer (or punisher) is said to be contingent on a particular behavior, the behavior must be emmited for the consequence to occur

Question 7

Abolishing operation (AO)

Answer 7

Value-altering effect: A decrease in the current effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event as reinfrocement

Behavior-altering effect: A decrease in the current requency of all behavior that has been reinforced by that stimulus, object, or event (i.e. abatative effect)

Question 8

Establishing operations (EO)

Answer 8

Any environmental variable that:

(a) alters the effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or even as reinforcer
(b) alters the current frequency of all behavior that has been reinforced by that stimulus, object, or event

Question 9

Motivating Operations (MO)

Answer 9

(a) alter the effectiveness of some stimulus as a reinforcer, the value-altering effect;
(b) alters the current frequency of all behavior that has been reinforced by that stimulus, the behavior-altering effect.

Question 10

Value-altering effect

Answer 10

• (a) an increase in the reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event, in which the MO is an establishing operation (EO)
• (b) a decrease in reinforcing effectiveness, in which case the MO is an abolishing operation (AO)

Question 11

Behavior-altering effect

Answer 11

• (a) an increase in the current frequency of behavior that has been reinfoced by some simulus, object, or event, called an evocative effect
• (b) a decrease in the current frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by some stimulus, object, or event, called abative effect

Question 12

Unconditioned Motivating Operations (UMOs)

Answer 12

Events, operations, and stimulus conditions with value-altering motivating effects that are unlearned. Humas are more affected by food reinforcement, or pain reduction reinforcement. Thus, food deprivation, and painful stimulation are called unconditioned motivating operations (UMOs)

Question 13

Conditioned Motivating Operations (CMOs)

Answer 13

Motivating variables that alter the reinforcing effectiveness of other stimuli, objects, or events, but only as a result of the organism’s learing history.

As with UMOs, CMOs also alter the momentary frequency of all behavior that has been reinforced (or punished) by those other events.

Depending on their relation to the behavioraly significant event or condition, the three kinds of conditioned motivating operations are classified as surrogate, reflexive, and transitive.

Question 14

Surrogate (CMO-S)

Answer 14

The CMO-S is a stimulus that acquires its MO effectiveness by being paired with another MO, and has the same value-altering, and bx-altering effect as the MO with which was paired.

The respondent conditioned stimulus (CS), operant conditioned reinforcer (S^r), and operant conditioned punisher (S^p) are each stimuli that acquired a form of behavioral effectiveness by being paired with a behaviorally effective stimulus. It is possible that stimuli that are paired with an UMO will become capable of the same value-altering and behavior-altering effects as that UMO. With respect to its MO characteristics, such as stimulus will be called a surrogate CMO.

Question 15

Reflexive (CMO-R)

Answer 15

A stimulus that acquires MO effectiveness by preceding some form of worsening or improvement is called a reflexive CMO-R. It is exemplified by the warning stimulus in a typical escape-avoidance procedure, which establishes its own offset as reinforcement and evokes all behavior that has accomplished that offset.

The CMO-R alters a relation to itself (makes its own removal effective as reinforcement.

In more general terms, any stimulus that systematically precedes the onset of painful stimulation becomes a CMO-R, in that its own offset will function as a reinforcer, and its occurence will evoke any behavior that has been followed by such reinforcement.

Example: request for information, which initiates a brief period during which a response must be made to terminate a period of increasing social awkwardness.

Question 16

Transitive (CMO-T)

Answer 16

An environmental variable that establishes (or abolishes) the reinforcing effectiveness of another stimulus and evokes (or abates) the behavior that has been reinforced by that other stimulus is transitive.

CMO-T makes something else effective as reinforcement (rather than altering itself).

All varibles that function as UMOs also function as transitive CMOs for the stimuli that are condtitioned reinforcers because of their relation to the relevant unconditioned reinforcer.

A CMO-T is a stimulus onset that evokes behavior because of its relation to the value of a consequence rather than to the availability of a consequence.

Question 17

SDs vs. MOs

Answer 17

An S^D controls a type of behavior because it has been related to the differential availability of an effective reinforcer for that type of behavior. This means that the relevant consequence has been available in the presence of, and unavailable in the absence of, the stimulus.

Most variables that qualify as motivating operations fail to meet this second S^D requirement because in the absence of the variable, there is no MO for the relevant reinforcer, and thus no reinforcer availability.

S^Ds are related to the differential availability of a currently effective form of reinforcement for a particular type of behavior; MOs are related to the differential reinforcing effectiveness of a particular type of environmental event.

Question 18

Stimulus Generalization

Answer 18

When an antecedent stimulus has a history of evoking a response that has been reinforced in its presence, there is a general tendency for similar stimuli to also evoke that response. This evokative function occurs when with stimuli that share similar physicla properties with the controling antecedent stimulus.

Conversly, stimulus discrimination occurs when different stimuli do not evoke the response.

Different degrees of stimulus control produce the defining characteristics of stimulus generalization and discrimination.

Question 19

Stimulus Generalization Gradient

Answer 19

Graphically depicts the degree of stimulus generalization and discrimination by showing the extent to which responses reinforced in one stimulus condition are emitted in the presence of untrained stimuli. When the slope of the gradient is relatively flat, little stimulus control is evident. However, an increasing slope of the gradient shows more stimulus control.

Question 20

Stimulus Discrimination Training

Answer 20

The conventional procedure for stimulus discrimination training requires one bx and two antecedents. Responses are reinforced in the presence of one stimulus condition, the S^D, but not in the other S^delta.

Question 21

Concept Formation

Answer 21

Is a complex example of stimulus control that requires both stimulus generalization within a class of stimuli and discrimination between classes of stimuli.

Question 22

Antecedent Stimulus Class

Answer 22

Is a set of stimuli that share a common relationship. All of the stimuli in an antecedent stimulus class will evoke the same operant response class, or elicit the same respondent behavior.

Question 23

Feature Stimulus Class

Answer 23

Stimuli in a feauture stimulus class share common physical forms (e.g. topographical structures) or common relative relations (e.g. spatial arrangements). Feature stimulus classes include an infinite number of stimuli and comprise a large portion of our conceptual behavior.

Example, the concept of a dog is based on a feature stimulus class.

Question 24

Arbitrary Stimulus Class

Answer 24

Evoke the same response, but they do not share a common stimulus feature (i.e. they do not resemble each other in physical form, nor do they share a relational relationship). Arbitrary stimulus classes are comprised of a limited number of stimuli.

Example, 50%, 1/2, 0.5. = half

asparagus, green beans, potatoes = vegetables

Question 25

Stimulus Equivalence

Answer 25

Equivalence describes the emergence of accurate responding to untrained and nonreinforced stimulus-stimulus relations following the reinforcement of responses to some stimulus-stimulusrelations.

Behavior analysts define stimulus equivalence by testing for reflexivity, symmetry, and transitivity among stimulus-stimulus relations.

A positive demonstration of all three behavioral test (reflexivity, symmetry, and transitivity) is necessary to meet the definition of an equivalence relation among a set of arbitrary stimuli.

Question 26

Reflexivity

Answer 26

Occurs when in the absence of training and reinforcement a response will select a stimulus that is matched to itself (A=A)

Example: a participants is shown a picture of a bicycle, and three choice pictures of a car, airplane, and bicycle. Reflexivity, also called generalized identity matching, has occured if the participant w/out instruction selects the bicycle from the three choice pictures.

Question 27

Symmetry

Answer 27

Occurs with the reversability of the sample stimulus and comparison stimulus (A=B, then B=A).

Example: spoken word car=picture of a car. When presented with a picture of a car, w/out training, or reinforcement, the learner selects the comparison spoken word car.

Question 28

Transitivity

Answer 28

Is a derived (i.e. untrained) stimulus-stimulus elation (e.g. A=C, C=A), that emerges as a product of training two other stimulus-stimulus relations (e.g. A=B, B=C, therefore A=C).

Example: If A (spoken word bicycle) = B (picture of a bicycle), and B = C (written word bicycle), then A (spoken word bicycle) = C (written word bicycle).

Question 29

Matching-to-Sample

Answer 29

A procedure for investigating conditional relations and stimulus equivalence. A matching-to-sample trial begins with the participant making a response that presents or reveals the sample stimulus; next, the sample stimulus may or may not be removed, and two or more comparison stimuli are presented. The participant then selects one of the comparison stimuli. Responses that select a comparison stimulus that matches the sample stimulus are reinforced, and no reinforcement is provided for responses selscting the non-matching comparison stimuli.

Question 30

Factors Affecting Stimulus Control

Answer 30

1. Preattending Skills (e.g.looking at the materials)
2. Stimulus Salience (e.g. specific room color, therapist)
3. Masking and Overshadowing (e.g. competing stimuluscan block the evokative functions of that stimulus - masking; more salient stimulus can interfere with the acquisition of stimulus control - overshadowing - looking through a window vs. attending to my book)

Question 31

Antecedent Intervention

Answer 31

Behavior change tacticts based on contingency-independent antecedent events.

1. NCR
   
   • NCR with positive reinforcement
   • NCR with negative reinforcement
   • NCR with automatic reinforcement (e.g. for SIB bx enriched environment where the participants can manipulate various objects)
2. High-probability (high-p) request sequence
3. FCT is an application of differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) because the intervention develops an alternative communicative response as an antecedent to diminish the problem behavior.

The alternative communicative response produces the reinforcer that has maintained the PBx, making the communicative response functionally equivalent to the problem behavior.

Question 32

Setting up NCR schedule

Answer 32

Divide the total durationof all baseline sessions by the total number of occurences of the problem behavior recorded during baseline, and set the initial interval at or slightly below the quotient. for example, if the participant emitted 300 aggressive acts during 5 days of baseline, and each baseline session was 10 min in duration, then, 3000 seconds divided by 300 responses produces a quotient of 10 seconds. Accordingly, these baseline data suggest an initial FT interval of 7 to 10 seconds.

Setting terminal criterion for NCR thinning - 5 min

Question 33

Emphasizing NCR

Answer 33

Three ways for emphasizing reinforcement during the NCR intervention:

1. increase the delivery of stimuli with known reinforcing properties
2. use an obviously differentschedule of reinforcement at treatent onset (e.g. continious reinforcement)
3. combine differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) with the NCR treatment package. DRO will decrease the adventitious reinforcement of the problem behavior from the time-based NCR schedule.

Question 34

Advantages &Disadvantages of FCT

Answer 34

Advantages:

• Excellent for generalization and maintanence
• High social validity
• FCT might be used w/out extinction

Disadvantages:

• The FCT package ususally uses extinction
• The extinction procedure is very difficult to use consistently, allowing intermittent reinforcement
• Participants might emitt hight rates of appropriate bx
• The overall environment is intact, whic may limit its overall effectiveness

Question 35

Antecedent Self-Managing Tactics

Answer 35

1. Manipulating motivating operations to make a desired (or undesired) bx more (or less) likely
2. Providing response prompts
3. Performing theinitial steps of a bx chain to ensure being confronted later with a discriminative stimulus that will evoke the desired bx
4. Removing materials for the undesired bx
5. Limiting an undesired bx to restrict stimulus conditions
6. Dedicating specific environment for a desired bx

Question 36

Contriving Mediating Stimulus

Answer 36

A Contriving Mediating Stimulus must:

1. made functional for the target behavior during instruction
2. transported easily to the generalization settings

Question 37

Rule

Answer 37

A rule is a verbal description of a behavioral contingency.

Question 38

Self-instructions

Answer 38

Self-instructions consist of self-gathered verbal responses, covert or overt, that function as a response prompts for a desired behavior. They are used to guide a person through a behavior chain or sequence of tasks.

Question 39

Contingency contract

Answer 39

Is a document that specifies a contingent relationship between the completion of a specific behavior and access to, or delivery of, a specified reward such as free time, a letter grade, or access to a prefer activity.

Question 40

Contingency contract components

Answer 40

• Description of the task
  
  • who will perform the task
  • what is the task or behavior
  • when the task must be completed
  • how well
• Description of the reward
• Task record

Question 41

Self-contract

Answer 41

Is a contingency contract that a person makes with herself, incorporating a self-selected task and reward as well as personal monitoring of task completon and slef-delivery of the reward.

Question 42

Group contingency

Answer 42

A group contingency is one in which a common consequence (usually, but not necessarily, a reward intended to function as reinforcement) is contingent on the behavior of one member of the group, the behavior of part of the group, or the behavior of everyone in the group. Group contingencies can be classified as dependent, independent, or interdependent.

Question 43

Independent group contingency

Answer 43

Independent group contingency is an arrangement in which a contingency is presented to all members of a group, but reinforcement is delivered only to those group members who meet the criterion outlined in the contingency.

Question 44

Dependent group contingency

Answer 44

Under a Dependent group contingency the reward for the whole group is dependent on the performance of an individual student or small group. (Hero procedure)

Question 45

Interdependent group contingency

Answer 45

An interdependent group contingency is one in which all members of the group must meet the criterion of the contingency (individually and as a group) before any member earns the reward.

Theoretically, Interdependent group contingency have a value-added advantage over dependent and independent group contingencies insofar as they yoke students to achieve a common goal, thereby capitalizing on peer pressure and group cohesiveness.

“All or None” arrangement

Question 46

Implementing a group contingency

Answer 46

1. Choose an effective reward
2. Determine the bx to change and any collateral bxs that might be affected
3. Set appropriate performance criteria
4. Combine with other procedures when appropriate
5. Select the most appropriate group contingency
6. Monitor individual and group performance

Question 47

Behavioral contrast

Answer 47

The term Behavioral contrast refers to the phenomenon in which a change in one component of a multipe shcedule that increases or decreases the rate of responding on that component is accompanied by a change in the response rate in the opposite direction on the other, unaltered component of the schedule.

Question 48

Matching law

Answer 48

With concurrent interval schedules (conc VI VI, conc FI FI), participants typically do not allocate all of their responses exclusively to the richer schedule, rtaher they distribute their responding between the two schedules to match or approximate the proportion of reinforcement that is actually obtained on each independent schedule.

With concurrent ratio schedules (conc VR VR, conc FR FR), participants are sensistive to the ratio schedules and tend to maximize reinforcement by responding primarily to the ratio that produces the higher rate of reinforcement.

Question 49

Multiple schedules

Answer 49

Multiple schedules presents two or more basic schedules of reinforcement in an alternative, usually random sequence. The basic schedules within the multiple schedule occurs successfully and independently. A discriminative stimulus is correlated with each basic schedule, and that stimulus is present as long as the schedule is in effect.

Question 50

Chained schedules

Answer 50

Similar to multiple schedule. Both have two or more basic schedule requirements that occur successfully, and have discriminative stimulus correlated with each independent schedule.

Differences:

1. the basic schedules always occurs in a specific order
2. the bx may be the same for all elements of the chain, or different bxs may be required for different elements of the chain
3. conditioned reinforcement for responding in the first element of the chain is the presentation of the second element; conditioned reinforcement for responding in the second element is presentation of the third element, and so on.

Question 51

Premack principle

Answer 51

Premack principle states that making the opportunity to engage in a behavior that occurs at a relatively high free operant (or BL) rate contingent on the occurence on the occurence of low-frequency behavior will function as a reinforcement for the low frequency bx.

Question 52

Response deprivation hypothesis

Answer 52

Response deprivation hypothesis is build on the Premack’s concept, and is a model for predicting whether access to one behavior (the contingent bx) will function as reinforcement for another bx (the instrumental response) based on the relative BL rates at which each behavior occurs and whether access to the contingent bx represents a restriction compared to the BL level of engagement.