Stimulus control

Question 1

What are the two dimensions of antecedents mentioned in lectures?

Answer 1

Covert/overt. Covert = internal to you; overt = visible to everyone.
Immediate/distal. Immediate = instant impact on behaviour (happens now and we respond right away); distal = occurred in the past but can still control our behaviour.

Question 2

When is a behaviour said to be under stimulus control?

Answer 2

When there is an increased probability that the behaviour will occur in the presence of a specific antecedent stimulus.
The behaviour will occur in response to this antecedent consistently.

Question 3

What is the discriminative stimulus?

Answer 3

The antecedent stimulus that is present when a behaviour is reinforced. Signals the availability of reinforcers.

Question 4

What is the stimulus delta?

Answer 4

Discriminative stimulus for punishment.
Stimulus in the presence of which a behaviour is not reinforced.
Could be extinction procedure where no reinforcement follows behaviour, or a punishment procedure when another stimulus follows that is more aversive.

Question 5

How did Keller & Schoenfeld apply stimulus control?

Answer 5

As opposed to the traditional training approach for morse code (memorise alphabets followed by codes), they developed the code voice method. Heard morse code which they had to translate into the letter, and the voice in the headphones gave them the correct response. Allowed them to get immediate reinforcement. In graduate students and recruits post-war it was found to be the most effective for training.

Question 6

What is discrimination training?

Answer 6

Requires one behaviour (that gets reinforced) under two antecedent stimulus conditions (the SD and S-delta).

Question 7

What happens to responses that occur in the presence of the SD and S-delta respectively during discrimination training?

Answer 7

SD - behaviour reinforced.
S-delta - behaviours not reinforced.

Question 8

How did Keintz et al. (2011) use discrimination training for identifying coins?

Answer 8

Teacher gave instruction to children with ASD and CENs. 3 coins to choose from. The same behaviour (e.g., pointing to middle coin) was reinforced when this was requested (SD) but not reinforced when they were instructed to pick a different coin (S-delta).

Question 9

What are prompts and what do they offer a means for?

Answer 9

Supplementary stimuli given before or during the performance of a behaviour that increases the likelihood that the person will engage in the correct behaviour at the correct time.
Offer a means to transfer stimulus control.

Question 10

How can prompts change the SD/S-delta?

Answer 10

May involve a change in the SD or S-delta that makes the SD more salient and the S-delta less salient, so the person is more likely to respond to the SD.

Question 11

What are the 2 categories of prompts?

Answer 11

Response and stimulus prompts.

Question 12

What are the 4 types of response prompts?

Answer 12

Verbal, modelling, physical guidance, gestural.

Question 13

What are modelling prompts?

Answer 13

Showing someone what to do.
E.g., watching a YouTube video on how to put together a piece of furniture.

Question 14

What is physical guidance?

Answer 14

A response prompt usually involving physical touch to direct someone’s behaviour.
E.g., moving an instrument learner’s hands.

Question 15

What are gestural prompts?

Answer 15

Usually involve directing someone’s attention through pointing or holding an object.

Question 16

What are stimulus prompts (and the 3 types)?

Answer 16

The discriminative stimulus itself is modified.
Movement, position, and redundancy.

Question 17

What are movement prompts?

Answer 17

Stimulus prompt where the correct response is moved. E.g., “pick the flashcard that says banana” and shaking the one to choose.

Question 18

What are position prompts?

Answer 18

E.g., correct response always placed closer to you.

Question 19

What are redundancy prompts?

Answer 19

Stimulus prompt where the correct response is always associated with a particular colour/shape/size.

Question 20

What is prompt fading?

Answer 20

A way of transferring stimulus control from the prompts to the SD.

Question 21

When do you begin prompt fading?

Answer 21

When the behaviour is stable.

Question 22

What are the 3 main approaches to prompt fading?

Answer 22

Most-to-least, least-to-most, time delay.

Question 23

What is most-to-least prompt fading and what are the two ways of doing it?

Answer 23

Decreasing assistance.
Change the type of prompt (e.g., verbal to gestural to no prompt).
Decrease the intensity of the prompt.

Question 24

What is least-to-most prompt fading?

Answer 24

Only provide assistance when absolutely necessary. Begin with least assistance during each trial.

Question 25

What is time delay prompt fading and its two types?

Answer 25

Time difference between when an SD is presented and when the prompt is presented.
Constant prompt delay: constantly waiting the same rate of time every time antecedent stimulus is presented; hope that the P may come to respond within this delay.
Progressive prompt delay: increase the duration between the SD and the prompt.