Rule-Governed Behaviour

Question 1

How do people and animals learn about reinforcement contingencies in our environment?

Answer 1

Contingency-shaped behaviour

Rule-governed behaviour

Question 2

Contingency-shaped behaviour

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Why don’t humans and non-human animals show the same patterns?

Answer 3

Rule-governed behaviour

Controlled by a verbal or mental rule about how to behave

Question 4

What happens to behaviour if a person can’t make verbal rules?

Answer 4

Preverbal children show patterns of responding similar to those of animals on simple schedules

Question 5

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

Answer 5

some or all of a three term contingency

SD : Behavior > Consequence
Mask drops : Place over your face > Oxygen

NSW : Speeding > Speeding Ticket

Question 6

Slide 9

Answer 6

Slide 9

Question 7

You may have found examples of reinforcement for rule following provided by…

Answer 7

1. Other people

2. The rest of the physical world

Question 8

Contingencies for rule following:

Answer 8

Tracking, Pliance

Question 9

Tracking:
The rule states a contingency that…

Examples:

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Pliance
Reinforcement contingencies…

Examples:

Answer 10

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

Question 11

“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…

Answer 11

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

Question 12

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…

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Compared to contingency-shaped behaviour, rule-governed behaviour is:

Answer 13

Acquired more quickly
Topographically more rigid, with less variation
more sensitive to stress

Question 14

Contingency-shaped behaviour:

Rule-governed behaviour:

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Behaviour that is initially rule-governed may later come under the control of the contingencies

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

Rule following as an operant

If people receive reinforcement for following a rule, they…
This reinforcement may be created by…

Answer 16

will follow it more often in future

the rule giver or the natural contingencies

Question 17

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…

Answer 17

the future likelihood of following rules in general

Question 18

Generalised Operants
Contingencies apply to the class of behaviours, not just the... 

Generalisation not based on topographical features but..

Answer 18

individual instance of a behaviour.

multiple exemplar training

Question 19

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?

Answer 19

Yes
Maybe (generalisation)
No

Question 20

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?

Answer 20

Yes
Yes
Yes

Question 21

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)

Answer 21

….

Question 22

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”

Answer 22

discovered contingency.

Question 23

Advantages of rules

Help you to perform behaviour that has valuable but…

Answer 23

delayed/improbable consequences

Question 24

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…

Answer 24

immediate consequence

consequence of finishing their education.

Question 25

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?

Answer 25

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.