Part 7 Flashcards
What is a learning set?
a learning-to-learn phenomenon
What is imitation?
physical movement as model, imitative behavior immediately follows and has formal similarity with model, and model is the controlling variable for the imitative behavior; models can be un/planned; topography of previous imitated response is not an imitative behavior; model as source of control is demonstrated with novel exemplars; non-examples of imitation are usually discriminated operants
What are the steps in Striefel imitation training?
1) assess (and teach) prerequisite skills
2) select models for training
3) pretesting
4) sequence models for training
5) perform imitation training
What are the 4 conditions for imitation training?
preassessment, training, post-assessment, probes for imitative behaviors
What is attending?
staying seated, looking at teacher, hands in lap, looking at objects
What are guidelines for imitation training?
keep training sessions active and brief; reinforce both prompted and imitative responses; pair verbal praise and attention with tangible reinforcers; if progress breaks down, back up and move ahead slowly; keep a record; fade out verbal response prompts and physical guidance; end imitation training
What is formal similarity?
model and behavior physically resemble one another and are in the same sense mode
What is shaping?
differential reinforcement of successive approximations to a terminal behavior (the end product of shaping)
What is differential reinforcement?
reinforcement provided for responses sharing a predetermined dimension or quality and in which reinforcement is withheld for responses that do not demonstrate that quality
What is response differentiation?
new response class due to differential reinforcement
What are successive approximations?
behaviors progressively more similar to terminal form
What features of behaviors can be shaped?
topography, frequency, latency, duration, amplitude, magnitude; shaping can be done across and within response topographies
What are limitations of shaping?
can be time-consuming; progress toward terminal behavior is not always linear; requires practitioner to consistently monitor learner for indications to move on; can be misapplied; harmful behavior can be shaped
How do shaping and fading change behavior in different ways?
shaping - antecedent stays the same while response progressively gets differentiated
stimulus fading - antecedent changes gradually while response stays relatively the same
How can shaping be enhanced?
SD may be combined with shaping; physical guidance, imitative prompts
What is clicker training?
science-based system for shaping behavior using positive reinforcement; reinforcement paired with click, and click becomes conditioned reinforcer
What are guidelines and steps for shaping?
nature of terminal behavior and resources should be assessed; estimate total time required to shape terminal behavior
steps: select terminal behavior, determine success criterion, analyze response class, identify first behavior to reinforce, eliminate interfering/extraneous stimuli, proceed in gradual stages, limit number of approximations as each level, continue to reinforce when terminal behavior is achieved
How are approximations determined?
consult experts, view normative data from past studies, video analyze component behaviors, perform behavior oneself while noting discrete behavioral components
How is first behavior identified for shaping?
should already occur at some frequency and should be a member of the target response class
What are future shaping applications?
percentile schedules, using computers to teach shaping, combining shaping with robotics engineering
What is a behavior chain?
specific sequence of discrete responses, each associated with a particular stimulus condition; each response is associated with a stimulus change that serves as a conditioned reinforcer for the response that produced it and an SD for the next response in the chain (all have dual function but first and last steps)
What are 3 behavior chain characteristics?
involves performance of a specific series of discrete responses; performance of each behavior creates reinforcer for itself and SD for next behavior; responses in chain must be done in a specific sequence, close in time
What is a behavior chain with a limited hold?
sequence of behaviors that must be performed correctly and within a specific time to produce reinforcement (time requirement for each step or total chain)
What is chaining?
various methods for linking specific sequences of stimuli and responses to form new performances
What is the rational for chaining?
increase independent living skills; means by which a series of discrete behaviors can be combined to form a series of responses that occasion delivery of positive reinforcement; chaining to add behaviors to existing behavioral repertoire; can be combined into longer series of complex responses; can be combined with other behavior prompting, instructing, and reinforcing procedures to build more complex/adaptive repertoires
What is task analysis?
breaking a complex skill into smaller, teachable units, the product of which is a series of sequentially ordered steps/tasks
How are task analysis components determined?
observe competent individuals or experts skilled in performing the task; perform task oneself
How is mastery level assessed for task analyses?
single-opportunity method, multiple-opportunity method
What are some chaining procedures?
forward chaining, backward chaining, total task chaining
What are the advantages of forward chaining?
can be used to link smaller chains into larger ones; relatively easy to use
What is total-task chaining?
variation of forward chaining in which learner receives training on every step every session
What are advantages of backward training?
learner contacts terminal reinforcer during every instructional session
What is backward chaining with leaps ahead?
like backward chaining without all steps being trained (only probed)
When is total-task chaining appropriate?
many tasks can be performed, but the sequence needs to be learned; existing imitative repertoire; moderate to severe disabilities; task sequence/cycle is not very long/complex
What is BCIS (behavior chain interruption strategy)?
relies on participant’s skill to perform the critical elements of a chain independently, but the chain is interrupted so that another behavior can be emitted; person can complete chain and becomes distressed when not allowed to continue steps
How are inappropriate chains broken?
reexamine the SDs and responses; determine whether similar SDs cue different responses; analyze natural setting to identify ir/relevant SDs; determine whether SDs in natural setting differ from training SDs; identify presence of novel stimuli in the environment; chains can be broken by substituting existing SD with SD for alternative behavior or by extending the chain and building in time delays
What are factors affecting performance of a behavior chain?
completeness of the task analysis; length/complexity of the chain; reinforcement schedule; stimulus variation; task analysis planning must occur before training; training should begin knowing adjustments of task analysis and prompts may be needed; teacher should introduce all SDs that may be encountered
