Topic 10: Prompting & Transfer of Stimulus Control Flashcards
Prompts
a prompt is used to increase the likelihood that a person will engage in the correct behavior at the correct time
a prompt may involve the behavior of the trainer (response prompts) or supplemental environmental stimuli (stimulus prompts)
Verbal Prompt
a type of prompt in which the verbal behavior of another person results in the correct behavior of the trainee in the presence of the discriminative stimulus
Modeling Prompt
a type of prompt in which the trainer demonstrates the target behavior for the learner
modelling works best in conjunction with instructions, in situations in which the learner has an opportunity to rehearse the behavior immediately in a role-play
Physical Prompt
a type of prompt in which the trainer physically assists the learner to engage in the correct behavior at the correct time
most often involves hand-over-hand guidance of the behavior
Fading
the gradual removal of prompts as the behavior continues to occur in the presence of the discriminative stimulus
Response Prompts
a type of prompt in which the trainer engages in a behavior to induce the client to engage in the target behavior in the presence of the discriminative stimulus
includes verbal prompts, gestural prompts, modeling prompts, and physical prompts
Stimulus Prompts
some change in an antecedent stimulus or the addition or removal of an antecedent stimulus, with the goal of making a correct response more likely
Physical Guidance
another term for physical prompting
Within-Stimulus Prompt
a type of stimulus prompt in which some aspect of the discriminative stimulus or S^D is changed to help a person make a correct discrimination
Extra-stimulus Prompt
a type of stimulus prompt in which a stimulus is added to help a person make a correct discrimination
Transfer of Stimulus Control
a process in which prompts are removed once the target behavior is occurring in the presence of the discriminative stimulus (S^D)
prompt fading and prompt delay are procedures used to transfer stimulus control from the prompt to the S^D
Prompt Fading
the response prompt is eliminated gradually as the behavior occurs in the presence of the S^D
Prompt Delay
in this procedure, the trainer presents the discriminative stimulus (S^D) and then, after a specific interval of time, presents the prompt, the delay between the presentation of the S^D and the presentation of the prompt means that as training progresses, the person may make the response before the prompt is given
Stimulus Control
the gradual elimination of a stimulus prompt as the behavior continues to occur in the presence of the discriminative stimulus
What are the guidelines for prompting and transferring stimulus control?
- choose the most appropriate prompting strategy
- get the learner’s attention
- present the S^D
- prompt the correct response
- reinforce the correct behavior
- transfer stimulus control by fading or prompt delay
- continue to reinforce unpromopted responses
Learning Trial
the sequence of presenting the S^D, prompting the response, and providing a reinforcer is called a learning trial
What is prompting?
giving stimuli before (or during) performance of a behavior to increase the likelihood that a person will engage in the target behavior at the correct time
prompts supplement the normal S^D or modify it to make it more salient (or make the S-delta less salient)
What are response prompts?
behavior of another person that evokes the target behavior from the target person when the S^D is also present
prompts may vary in intrusiveness
What are verbal prompts?
hints, instructions, commands, or other spoken words used to guide or direct behavior
e.g. telling a child “scoop some food”
What are gestural prompts?
physical movements that indicate how, where, or what behavior to perform
e.g. parent pointing to food and child’s mouth
What are modelling prompts?
demonstration of the entire target behavior by another person
e.g. parent uses spoon to scoop and eat some food
What are physical guidance prompts?
another person physically assists in the execution of the target behavior
e.g. grasping a child’s hand to help her put a spoonful of food to her mouth
What is three-step prompting?
use prompts progressively, starting with verbal, then modeling, and finally physical guidance prompts
What are stimulus prompts?
S^D is changed (within-stimulus), or stimulus is added (extra-stimulus) or removed, to encourage the target behavior
What are within-stimulus prompts?
involves changing the S^D in some way (change location of the S^D or change some dimension of the S^D, such as size, shape, color, or intensity)
What are extra-stimulus prompts?
involves adding a stimulus to the S^D
What are picture prompts?
drawings or photos
e.g. symbols on computer keys
What are auditory prompts?
sounds (other than words)
auditory alarm that detect first drops of urine used to help children with severe developmental disability learn toileting behaviors
What are environmental prompts?
alteration or additions to the physical surroundings in which the S^D is presented
e.g. changing the seating arrangement in a classroom
What is the transfer of stimulus control?
prompts are faded, reduced, or eliminated so that target behavior occurs to the normal S^D alone
behavior continues to be reinforced
What is fading?
gradual elimination of prompting so that eventually it is no longer needed
stimulus control is transferred from prompts to the S^D
What is response prompt fading?
response prompt is gradually lessened
includes fading within prompt and fading across prompts
What is fading within prompt?
same prompt is used, but is decreased in magnitude
What is fading across prompts?
prompt is changed, according to a prompting hierarchy
includes most-to-least and least-to-most prompting and fading
What is most-to-least prompting and fading?
a.k.a. decreased assistance
prompts change from more intrusive to less intrusive
physical guidance –> modeling –> gestural –> verbal
start with most intrusive prompt
when target behavior occurs reliably, move to next less intrusive prompt in the next session
used when initially teaching a skill and person likely needs physical guidance prompt
What is least-to-most prompting and fading?
a.k.a. increases assistance or system of least prompts
prompts change from less to more intrusive (like in three-step prompting) until behavior is performed
start with least intrusive prompt
provide more intrusive prompts, if required, in the same session
used when person has learned the sill and may not need physical guidance prompt
What is graduated guidance?
used in fading physical guidance prompts
teacher provides as much physical guidance as required, and the gradually reduces it
pressure/contact may be reduced
shadowing: teacher’s hand follower learner’s movement without contact
spatial fading: focus of guidance (teacher’s hand contact) changes from fingers to hand, to wrist, to elbow, etc.
What is stimulus prompt fading?
also called stimulus fading
stimulus prompt is decreased in magnitude or frequency
What is prompt delay?
present S^D, wait a certain number of seconds, and if target behavior does not occur, provide the prompt
time delay may be constant, or progressive (increasing duration of intervals)
typically used only with response prompts
e.g. present flash card with a word on it, wait for person to say the word, if they do not say it in 4 seconds, a verbal prompt is given
How do you choose the appropriate prompting strategy?
use prompting only when the person has not learned to perform the target behavior with the normal S^D
or has not learned to perform the behavior in the correct situation
prompting is not appropriate when behavior is not produced due to noncompliance
How to you get the learner’s attention?
make S^D more salient, or S-delta less salient
How should you prompt the correct response if the S^D does not provoke it?
response prompts are most useful for helping a person learn a specific action or sequence of actions (e.g. tying shoelaces)
stimulus prompts are most useful for helping a person learn to discriminate stimuli
if person has developmental disabilities/limited abilities, more intrusive prompts will be needed
if person can understand verbal prompts, describe reason for the behavior in terms of the natural consequences
How do you transfer stimulus control?
size of fading steps should be appropriate
if step is too big, the behavior is incorrect and will not be reinforced
too small, and the person will become dependent on the prompt
solution: promote errorless learning, at each step just enough of the prompt is given so that the person makes no errors when performing the task
