UNIT 1-9 Flashcards
Behavior reinforced through the mediation of other people
Verbal Behavior
Factors that influence VB - Antecedent Conditions: x4
- State of deprivation or aversive stimulation
- Some aspect of the environment
- Other verbal behavior
- Own verbal behavior
Factors that influence VB - Consequence Conditions: x2
- Related to the MOs (State of deprivation/aversive stimulation)
- Educational (Social)
Defined as a verbal operant in which the response is reinforced by a characteristic consequence and is therefore under the functional control of relevant conditions of deprivation or aversive stimulation.
Mand
Evoked by a particular object or event or property of an object or event.
Tact
Responses under the control of audible or written verbal stimuli supplied by another person or the speaker himself… showing no point to point correspondence with the verbal stimuli that evoke them and reinforced by a generalized conditioned reinforcer
Intraverbal
Verbal behavior under the control of verbal stimuli in which the response generates a sound-pattern similar to that of the stimulus resulting in a generalized conditioned reinforcer
Echoic
This term is intended to suggest behavior which is based upon or depends upon other verbal behavior
Autoclitic
An____________ affects the listener by indicating either a property of the speaker’s behavior or the circumstances responsible for that property
Autoclitic
An approached that teaches early communication skills using pictures
PECS
Base Elements (of the Pyramid Approach): x4
- Functional Activities
- Powerful reinforcers
- Functional communication
- Contextually inappropriate behaviors
Top Elements (of the Pyramid Approach): x5
- Generalization
- Effective lessons
- Specific teaching strategies
- Minimizing and correcting errors
- Data collection and analysis
Advantages of PECS: x4
- Requires interaction with other people from the start (social interaction)
- Encourages the individual to initiate communication rather than respond to a prompt (spontaneous)
- Starts with requesting, not commenting/labelling (Functional/reinforcing)
- Is based on Skinner’s VB
Phase I: Initiation
- Approach people to initiate communication
- To teach initiation using 2 person prompting procedure
- Teach 3-step sequence: pick up, reach, release
- One picture at a time
Phase II: Increase spontaneity and range (traveling taught)
- Increase spontaneity
- Increase distance (between adult and book) - teach traveling to CP, with book or to get book, from room to room with book
- Persistence taught
- Variety of people, activities, locations, reinforcers involved
- Teaching strategy: shaping
- Lesson type: sequential
Phase IIIA: Simple Discrimination
- Desired vs undesired items
- 4 step error correction procedure
- vary distractor pictures
- Switch switches (in the error correction procedure)
- Alternative strategies (blank card, size, distance)
Phase IIIB: Conditional Discrimination
- Discrimination between equally reinforcing items
- Conduct correspondence checks
- Use 4 step error correction procedure
Phase IV: Building Sentences
- “I want” + picture placed on a strip and whole sentence is handed over to the adult
- Student taps the symbols
- Attributes to increase length of sentences and to ask for very specific reinforcers.
Phase V: Answering “What do you want?”
- Leads to commenting
- Maintain spontaneity
- Use progressive time delay prompting strategy
Phase VI: Commenting
- Answering “What do you see/hear/feel?”
2. Discriminating between “What do you see/want?”
Successful modality transitions requires: x5
- New modality vocabulary be equal to current vocabulary
- Rate of initiation is equal
- Length of utterance is equal
- New modality is at least 80% intelligible to unfamiliar listener
- Speed of interaction is equal
Do not take skills away - unethical
Research-based benefits of use of PECS:
- Facilitates acquisition of speech
- Increases social approach during play
- Reduces behavior management targets rates
- Is easily understood in community and by peers
Topographical response form:
- saying words
- forming signs and gestures
- writing words/sound
Selection based response form:
- listener reacts by pointing/touching/typing
2. selects or gesture towards
Characteristics of Natural Science of Behavior: x6
- Inductive vs deductive
- Intimate contact with phenomenon of interest
- Focus on observable behavior and objective, operational definitions
- Use of standard, absolute units of measurement
- Experimental analysis
- Identification of functional relations
Units of measurement: everyone uses them
Standard
Units of measurement: Value does not change from one instance to the next
Absolute
Units of measurement: Apply to every instance
Universal
Units of measurement: Dimensional Quantity of Behavior x4
- Entailed in the behavior itself
- Not an abstraction
- Sensitive to changes in independent variable
- Visible to the naked eye
Essential Properties of Behavior: x2
- Count
2. Time
Count (Property of Behavior) x2
- Repeatability
2. Countability
Time (Property of Behavior) x2
- Behavior occurs in time
2. Behavior takes time to occur
Measure derived from the fundamental properties of behavior: x5
- Frequency/rate = count/time
- Latency (temporal locus)
- Duration (temporal extent)
- Celeration (count/time/time/time)
- Inter-response time
SCC moves up via:
Multiplication
SCC move down via:
Division
Celeration:
change in rate over time
Celeration = count/time/time/time
Bottom axis in Daily SCC:
Days
Thin, vertical lines in Daily SCC:
Weekdays
Top axis in Daily SCC:
Weeks
Thick, vertical lines in Daily SCC:
Sundays
Column between two Sunday lines in Daily SCC:
One week
Standard celeration fan depicts:
Standard Slopes (allows for quick comparison)
Bottom axis in Weekly SCC:
Calendar weeks
Thin, vertical lines in Weekly SCC:
Week
Thick, vertical lines in Weekly SCC:
Month
Top axis in Weekly SCC:
Months
Counting Time Floor =
1 / Minutes spent recording
Counting Time Floor (less than 1 min) =
60secs / # of seconds
OR
1 / Fraction of a minute
Charting Frequencies:
Count / # of minutes spent recording
OR
Count X Counting Time Floor
Charting Frequencies (less than 1 min) =
Count / Fraction of a minute
OR
Count X Counting Floor
Charting “Zero” frequencies:
Indicate with data point “X” or “?” below counting time floor
Charting No Chance Days:
Behavior does not have the opportunity to occur.
Do Not connect data points across no chance days.
Charting Ignored Days:
Behavior has the opportunity to occur, but is not observed or recorded.
Data points are connected across ignore days.
Behavior Floor =
1 / # of min bx can occur
Record Ceiling =
1 / # of observation minutes
Charting latency =
1 / Minutes spent recording
Use forward slash “/”
In charting latency, forward slash moving down the chart denotes
Longer latency
In charting latency, forward slash moving up the chart denotes
Shorter latency
Charting Duration =
1 / Minutes spent recording
Use backward slash “"
In charting duration, backward slashes moving down the chart denote
Longer duration
In charting duration, backward slashes moving up the chart denote
Shorter duration
Estimating Celerations:
- Determine the slope and direction of the trend line
- Using a straight edge, draw a line of best fit through the data series
- Ensure equal number of data points intersecting, above or below celeration line
Finding celeration values:
Using a straight edge, draw a line parallel to the celeration line passing through 1-line and a Sunday line.
- If the celeration line is increasing, read the frequency of the NEXT Sunday line
- If the celeration is decreasing, read the frequency of the PREVIOUS Sunday line
System of measuring and analyzing behavior using the SCC
Precision Teaching
Fluency - introduced by:
Carl Binder
A word used to describe mastery
Fluency
Accuracy plus speed
Fluency
RESAA
Retention Endurance Stability Application Adduction
Maintenance/memory (RESAA)
Retention
Resistance to distractions/fatigure(RESAA)
Endurance
Low variablity (RESAA)
Stability
Easily learn next step, generalization (RESAA)
Application
Emergence of new repertoires(RESAA)
Adduction
Benefits of SCC: x8
- Standard, absolute, universal
- Entails to properties of behavior (count and time)
- Dimensional units (frequency or rate=count/time, duration, latency, IRT)
- Standard visual display enables ease of interpretation
- Ease of comparison across behaviors, settings, individuals
- Celeration produces standard slope (standard trend lines yield prediction)
- Times 2 or greater celeration = clinically significant and statistically significant
- Broad scale impact
Deliver a discrete consequence for each discrete response
Continuous Reinforcement
Reinforcement only sometimes follows the target response
Intermittent Reinforcement
Reinforcement is provided following a pre-specified number of responses
Ratio Schedules
Delivery reinforcer after the last of a fixed number of responses
Fixed Ratio
Arrange reinforcers for the last of a number of responses that varies from one reinforcer to the next
Variable Ratio
Reinforcement is provided for the first response that follows some amount of time
Interval Schedules
Reinforcer delivered contingent on the first response after some constant time period has elapsed
Fixed Interval
Arrange reinforcers contingent on the first response after a specified time, but the time varies from one reinforcer to the next
Variable Interval
Deliver stimuli known in other contexts to be reinforcers solely on the basis of time, independent of responding
Response-independent (time-based)
Reinforcer delivered after some constant time period has elapsed
Fixed Time
Arrange reinforcers after a specified time, but the time . varies from one reinforcer to the next
Variable Time
t s without response, then 1 response
DRL (Differential Reinforcement of Low Rate of bx)
1 response within t s or less of last response
DRH (Differential Reinforcement of High Rate of bx)
t s without a response
DRO (Differential Reinforcement of Other bx/Omission)
Contingent on alternate response, often in the absence of target response
DRA (Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Bx)
When a reinforcer follows a response, its effect depends on its relation not only to that response, but also to other responses preceding it
Delay Contingencies
Task materials and relevant instructions do not occasion predetermined level of performance in absence of prompts
Skill Deficit
The skill is intact, but the person is unmotivated to respond under appropriate stimulus conditions
Performance (or motivational) Deficit
Some property of responding is gradually changed by differentially reinforcing successive approximations to target behavior
Shaping
____________ component of shaping increases response variability, allowing novel response forms to contact reinforcement
Extinction
To increase Response Diversity: x2
- Extinction induced variation
2. Lag-reinforcement schedules
An _______ reward is naturally related to the responses that produce it
Intrinsic
An ________ reward is arbitrarily related to the responses that produce it
Extrinsic
Reinforcement contingencies (extrinsic rewards) lead to decrements in enjoyment (intrinsic rewards) and thus result in decreases in engagement
Overjustification Hypothesis
Factors that may account for what appears to be lessened intrinsic motivation: x3
- Satiation
- Contrast Effects
- Learned helplessness
Assessing the Strength of Reinforcers: x4
General experimental arrangements for reinforcer AX
- Single-operant arrangement
- Concurrent schedule arrangement
- Progressive ratio schedule arrangements
- Demand curves
Type of experimental arrangements for reinforcer AX:
- Perhaps the most commonly used
- Single reinforcement schedule is arranged (often) for a single response
- Typically FR schedule
- DV = Response rate or frequency
- Compare to baseline rates
Single-Operant Arrangement
Type of experimental arrangements for reinforcer AX:
- Most sensitive test of relative reinforcer effectiveness
- Multiple response options concurrently available
- Each are associated with a distinct stimulus delivered contingent upon appropriate response
- DV= Relative response allocations across available alternative
- Often includes a control condition
- May mask reinforcer effects for lower preference stimuli
Concurrent-Schedule Arrangement
Type of experimental arrangements for reinforcer AX:
- Ratio requirement increases systematically within a session, across successive “trials”
- Session ends when a participant ceases to respond to pre-determined amount of time
- Dependent measure = “Break point” (value of the last completed schedule requirement)
Progressive Ratio Schedule Arrangement
__________ allow one to look at choices under conditions of asymmetrical reinforcers and under various conditions of constraint
Demand Curves
General Categories of SPAs: x3
- Indirect preference assessment (client or caregiver)
- Naturalistic (in-vivo) direct observation
- Direct preference assessment (free operant or approach based)
Variables to consider when selecting a preference method: x3
- Abilities
- Position biases
- Problem behavior
If only pre-requisite skill is approach response, then use
Single stimulus method OR Duration
If individual has approach response, visual scanning, and possible position bias, then use
Paired stimulus method OR Multiple stimulus method
If individual has approach response, visual scanning, possible position bias, and visual match-to-sample, then use
Pictorial SPA
If individual has auditory to match-to-sample, then use
Vocal SPA
Individuals with profound disabilities cannot participate in traditional SPAs, instead use other options:
- Microswitches
2. Indices of happiness
Selection controlled by location rather than by the items themselves
Position bias
Eliminating Position Biases: x5
- Quality training
- Magnitude training + error correction
- Changing to vertical placement of stimuli
- Holding stimuli directly in front of the participant
- Placing items in opposite corners of the room
Other considerations when selecting SPAs:x3
- Time
- Function of problem behavior
- Can stimulus be delivered after the selection
If time is of issue use:
FO
SS
MSWO
If problem behavior is maintained by access to tangible reinforcer, then use
FO
If problem behavior is maintained by attention, then use
PS
MSWO
Food items often ____________ displace leisure items in mixed arrays(SPA)
downward
Establishing social stimuli as reinforcers
______________: Primary reinforcers delivered freely and attention is consistently provided during consumption
Non-contingent pairing
Establishing social stimuli as reinforcers
______________: Primary reinforcers and attention simultaneously provided contingent on the completion of a task
Contingent pairing
Studies - Zhou et al (2001):
Examined stability of preferences over time
Zhou et al (2001) conclusions:
Greater stability for most participants when only the top 5 stimuli are considered suggesting that highest preferences may be more stable
Studies - Cicconee et al (2007):
Examined rank order correlation coeefficients for food only.
Stimulus type - Are food preferences more or less stable than non-food preferences?
Cicconee et al(2007) conclusions:
Some validity to the notion that food stability higher than non-food stimuli
Studies - DeLeon et al (2001):
Are changes in preference associated with corresponding changes in the utility of reinforcers?
DeLeon et al (2001) conclusions:
Frequent PA sometimes helps, sometimes doesn’t.
Variable preferences
Two things to which the effectiveness of a reinforcer can refer:
- Its momentary capacity to support responses that produce it
- Its utility in producing long-term behavior change
Operations that might alter the prolonged value of a stimulus: x3
- Repeated exposure
- Stimulus-stimulus pairing
- Contingency
Hanley et al Studies: Determinants of stimulus value
- Examined choices between activities in a concurrent chain
- Selected 1HP and 1LP activity, measured relative response allocation
- Examined the effects of satiation and conditioning on . preference ranks
Hanley et al Conclusions:
- Enhancing an activity with supplemental contingent reinforcement can shift choices towards that activity
- Non-contingent pairing of an activity with established preferred stimuli can shift choices towards that activity
- Effects seem to be transient (do not persist after discontinuation of the pairing procedures)
Leon et al Study:
Examined the effects of delayed reinforcement with primary and conditioned reinforcers
Leon et al Conclusions:
- Delayed food produced greatest persistence
- Delayed tokens produced most rapid decreases in responding
- Immediate token delivery with a delayed exchange opportunity equaled or exceeded effects of delayed food
Trosclair-Lasserre et al (2008):
Examined effects of different reinforcer magnitudes on preference and reinforcer efficacy
Trosclair-Lasserre et al (2008) Conclusions:
Magnitude may play an important role when thinning schedules of reinforcement
Momentary alters the reinforcing effectiveness of other events
Reinforcer establishing function of an MO
Momentarily alters the frequency of occurrence of the type of behaviors that produce those other events as consequences
Evocation Function of an MO
Gottschalk et al (2000) and McAdam et al (2005):
Examined the deprivation and satiation effects with food on preference assessment outcomes
Gottschalk et al (2000) and McAdam et al (2005) Conclusions:
Satiation can influence preference rank
Extent to which changes in the unit price influence consumption of the commodity (sensitivity to price)
Elasticity of demand
Changes in price produce less than proportional changes in consumption
Inelastic demand
Changes in price produce larger than proportional changes in consumption
Elastic demand
What influences elasticity of demand?
Open vs Closed economies
Consumption of reinforcer not dependent on responding within earning context
Open economy
Consumption of reinforcer entirely dependent on responding within earning context
Closed economy
Greater defense of consumption is under _______ economies rather than _________ economies
closed; open
Reinforcers that share important functional properties
Substitutable reinfocers
Demand curves vary with the similarity of alternatives:x2
- Consumption declines more rapidly as price increases when alternative is functionally similar
- Consumption declines more rapidly as delay increases when alternative is functionally similar
Clement et al (2000)/ DeLeon (2011)
Contingency and stimulus value:
Conclusions:
- Free reinforcers lose value more rapidly than earned reinforcers /non-contingent delivery may devalue stimuli more rapidly
- However, contingent stimuli did not always increase in value and greater effort is not related to greater increase in value
DeLeon et al (in press):
Does continuity matter?
Exp1: do delayed, accumulated reinforcers support rates of responding equivalent to distributed reinforcement
Exp2: Do children with IDD prefer to accumulate access to activities and food?
Conclusions:
Accumulated acess, mediated through tokens:
- supports faster work
- supports overall quantity of work
- is preferred by learners
Several methods of incorporating different reinforcers: x4
- Frequent PA
- Stimulus variation
- Pre-session selection
- Post-response reinforcer choice
Ask learners which reinforcer they would like to earn in the following instructional session
Pre-session selection
Ask learners to choose from a small array of reinforcers each time the schedule requirement is met
Within-session (post-response) choice
Graff and Libby (1999):
Examined pre-session and post-session choice
Conclusions:
- All displayed preference for within-session choice during concurrent schedule
- 3 of 4 displayed higher rates during within-session choice condition in single-operant schedule
No change in responding may occur due to(“reinforcement doesn’t work”):x2
- Contrived external contingencies where contingencies were not needed (e.g. detrimental effects of extrinsic reinforcement on intrinsic motivation)
- Procedural mismatches between the response and its outcome
Procedural mismatches: x5
- The stimulus used was not a reinforcer
- The stimulus was not a reinforcer under the specific conditions
- The stimulus used was no longer a reinforcer under these conditions
- A response-reinforcer contingency was arranged but was not contacted
- The stimulus followed the wrong response
Considering the contingency was executed with fidelity a decrease in responding may result from:x3
- Overjustification
- Punishment (time-out from preferred activity)
- Discriminative properties of reinforcers: reinforcer evokes incompatible behavior