Rule-Governed Behaviour Flashcards
How do people and animals learn about reinforcement contingencies in our environment?
Contingency-shaped behaviour
Rule-governed behaviour
Contingency-shaped behaviour
Behaviour based on a consequence we experience in the real world - controlled by the schedule of reinforcement or punishment
Learn through direct contact with the physical or social world about how to get an reinforcement
Why don’t humans and non-human animals show the same patterns?
Rule-governed behaviour
Controlled by a verbal or mental rule about how to behave
What happens to behaviour if a person can’t make verbal rules?
Preverbal children show patterns of responding similar to those of animals on simple schedules
Rules / contingency-specifying stimuli describe…
e.g., if a mask drops down, place it over your face and oxygen will flow
e.g., cameras used in NSW
some or all of a three term contingency
SD : Behavior > Consequence
Mask drops : Place over your face > Oxygen
NSW : Speeding > Speeding Ticket
Slide 9
Slide 9
You may have found examples of reinforcement for rule following provided by…
- Other people
2. The rest of the physical world
Contingencies for rule following:
Tracking, Pliance
Tracking:
The rule states a contingency that…
Examples:
exists in the physical world (“natural contingencies”)
if you breathe through the oxygen mask you will get oxygen
If you speed around a corner you might crash
If you stand on a broken glass you will cut your feet
Pliance
Reinforcement contingencies…
Examples:
for rule following are created by other people
if you drive too fast you will get a speeding ticket
If you don’t pick up the glass like your mother says she will yell at you
“HIKERS and BIKERS, move to the side of the road when a vehicle approaches)
Following this rule is an example of tracking if it is…
Following this rule is an example of pliance if it is…
maintained by a history where moving out of the way of cars avoids being injured
maintained by a history where moving out of the way of cars avoids disapproval from others or produces praise
Conclusions from Galizo (humans pulling levers to avoid loss of money)
People will follow a rule that does not…
This is more likely if following the rule does not bring them…
accurately describe the current contingencies
e.g., rule says pull lever every 10s, contingency is to pull lever every 60s: participants still followed rule, never knew they didn’t have to pull lever as much
into contact with the fact they are inaccurate
e.g., rule says pull lever every 60s, they lose money every 10s, rule breaks down
Compared to contingency-shaped behaviour, rule-governed behaviour is:
Acquired more quickly
Topographically more rigid, with less variation
more sensitive to stress
Contingency-shaped behaviour:
Rule-governed behaviour:
Learned behaviour through experiencing the consequence yourself
Instructions you can learn without contact with a contingency, and that is controlled by verbal or mental rules
Behaviour that is initially rule-governed may later come under the control of the contingencies
Learning to drive = rule governed
- verbalize rules
Experienced driving = contingency
- not internalising a rule, just doing it
- behaviour is no longer controlled by verbal or mental rule
starts off rule-based, more topographically rapid. Becomes automatic as you become more fluid and have more practice based in the physical world, start to develop own rules.
Rule following as an operant
If people receive reinforcement for following a rule, they…
This reinforcement may be created by…
will follow it more often in future
the rule giver or the natural contingencies
But why do people follow new rules?
Rule following as a generalized operant
Each time a person receives reinforcement for following one rule, this increases…
the future likelihood of following rules in general
Generalised Operants Contingencies apply to the class of behaviours, not just the...
Generalisation not based on topographical features but..
individual instance of a behaviour.
multiple exemplar training
Rule following as a simple operant
SD (Bake biscuits at 180 C for 20 minutes) : Behavior (20 minutes) > Consequence (biscuits)
Would this consequence lead to more following of this rule about baking biscuits in future?
Would this consequence lead to more following of other recipes in future?
Would this consequence lead to more following of other rules in future?
Yes
Maybe (generalisation)
No
Rule following as a generalized operant
Would this consequence lead to more following of this rule about baking biscuits in future?
Would this consequence lead to more following of other recipes in future?
Would this consequence lead to more following of other rules in future?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Multiple exemplar training of Reinforcement for Correspondence
Your behaviour : Corresponds with the rule > Reinforcement
Example: If you help with the dishes you can have pudding
(correspondance = renforcement)
….
Self-generated rules
verbalizing a…
e. g., if I take the motorway I will get there more quickly”
e. g. “if I straighten my back I will make this golf shot more easily”
discovered contingency.
Advantages of rules
Help you to perform behaviour that has valuable but…
delayed/improbable consequences
Advantages of pliance
The rule giver may create an…
E.g. if you finish your homework you can watch TV
This helps the child achieve a more delayed…
immediate consequence
consequence of finishing their education.
What is the difference between contingency-shaped behaviour and rule-governed behavour?
What is the difference between tracking and pliance?
When do people tend to follow rules that inaccurately describe the contingency in the world?
What does it mean for following rules to be an operant? A generalized operant?
What type of correspondence is involved in rule following?
What are the advantages of having a generalized rule following repertoire?
Rule-governed behaviour is a behaviour based on a rule, whereas contingency-shaped behaviour is based on schedules of reinforcement/punishment in the real world
We learn rules by tracking: when a rule states a contingency that exists in the real world or pliance: when a rule is formed by other people
When they do not come into contact with the inaccuracy of that rule
Following a specific rule is an operant behaviour which is reinforced. Following all rules because in the past, rule following has been reinforced, is a generalised operant.
Correspondence between the rule and the behaviour to produce reinforcement
You may receive immediate reinforcers by a rule giver.
Encourages you to perform behaviour that might have delayed/improbable consequences eg. saving money, or avoiding a car accident.
You do not have to come into contact with negative consequences to form a contingency.
