Week 7 - Differential Reinforcement, Antecedent Control, Aversive Control Flashcards
What is differential reinforcement of low rate (DRL)?
Behaviour is reinforced only if it occurs NO MORE than a SPECIFIED number of times in a given period
LONGER intervals produce even LOWER rates
Useful for REDUCING the rate of PROBLEM behaviours
EX) reinforce pigeon peck ONLY after 5 sec has elapsed since last peck
What is differential reinforcement of high rate (DRH)?
Behaviour is reinforced only if it occurs AT LEAST a specified number of times in a given period
Results in VERY HIGH rates of responding
LESS than 5 responses receive NOTHING and the clock resets.
Useful when the goal is to increase rates of behaviour
Ex) reinforce pigeon peck only when it has pecked at least 5 times within 10 seconds
What is differential reinforcement of other behaviour (DRO)?
Reinforcement is CONTINGENT on complete ABSENCE of
behaviour for a period of time
Reinforcement is only provided if the behaviour occurs
Pecking resets the clock
Also called Differential Reinforcement of Zero Responding
Ex) reinforce pigeon only after 10 sec have elapsed with no pecking
What is differential reinforcement of alternative behaviour (DRA)?
What are 2 variations?
A desired (replacement) behaviour is reinforced while an UNDESIRED behaviour is extinguished
1) Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviour (DRI)
- behaviour that is incompatible with the unwanted behaviour is reinforced.
- increasing rate of desired behaviour also decreases the rate of undesired behaviour because the two cannot occur simultaneously
2) Differential Reinforcement of Communication (DRC)
- a communication response is reinforced to replace the problematic behaviour.
- more rapid
- also called Functional Communication Training.
What is resurgence?
What does it do to DRA?
Reappearance DURING extinction of a previously reinforced behaviour
PREDICTS the re-emergence of the problematic behaviour if the alternative behaviour goes in EXTINCTION/cant be performed
What is a possible solution to resurgence?
Train multiple alternative/acceptable behaviours in series so that an acceptable behaviour resurges
True or false. DRA is sometimes too effective
If true, what are some solutions?
True
If alternative behaviour is RAPIDLY learned then it might replace the problem behaviour before it has been ADEQUATELY extinguished
Makes the problem behaviour MORE likely to return
1) do not reinforce alternative behaviour immediately
2) additional training sessions where problem behaviour on extinction, alternative not performed
3) train multiple/acceptable behaviours
How do you identify putative reinforcers?
1) use reinforcer maintaining undesirable behaviour
2) observe activities that are enjoyable/high probability
3) ask them questions about what they LIKE
4) conduct preference assessment
What is the preference assessment?
What are the aspects?
1) Single Stimulus Assessment
• Potential reinforcers presented INDIVIDUALLY multiple times in RANDOM orderings
• Percentage of approaches are calculated
2) Paired Stimulus Assessment
• Potential reinforcers are presented in PAIRS
• Each stimulus is presented with every other stimulus multiple times
• Percentage of approaches/selections are calculated
3) Multiple Stimulus Assessment
• Potential reinforcers are presented in a FULL ARRAY
• Items are REMOVED as they are CHOSEN
• Process is REPEATED with varied item orderings
• Items chosen first are likely more reinforcing
How do you use DRA? (The steps)
1) Define the target behaviours to increase and decrease.
2) Identify the reinforcer for the problem behaviour.
3) Choose a reinforcer for the desirable/alternative behaviour.
4) Extinguish the undesirable behaviour and reinforce the alternate behaviour(s).
- Extinguish or devalue the reinforcer for the undesirable behaviour(s)
- Consider using DRL, DRO procedures if not possible
5) Begin to incorporate intermittent schedules of reinforcement for the desirable behaviour
Using is easiest when the behaviour occurs ___________ or can be __________
DRA can promote ____________
Occasionally
Prompted
—————————————
Creativity (increases response variability)
What is ratio strain?
Disruption of the pattern of responding due to stretching the ratio of reinforcement too abruptly or too far
SELF-MODIFICATION is susceptible to this because YOU control access to the reinforcer
What is another name for antecedents?
What are the 3 different kinds?
Controlling stimuli
1) controlling stimulus S), types - sD, S-delta, S-ave
2) discriminative stimulus (sD)
3) extinction stimulus (S-delta)
How does presenting an SD increase desirable behaviour?
Present stimuli/ arrange environments such that the behaviour will be MORE LIKEY to occur
Note:
SDS don’t guarantee that a behaviour will occur, they just alter the probability and some will alter it more than others.
Ex) Healthy Eating:
• Have healthy foods readily available
• Read food labels before purchasing
• Post inspirational pictures, quotes, etc. in problem areas
How does EO increase desirable behaviour?
Insomnia:
• Avoid taking naps during the day
• Only go to bed when actually tired
• Wake up at the same time each day
How does decreasing response effort increase desirable behaviour?
Arranging the environment so it’s ready to “go”
Break the desired behaviour into smaller tasks
Ex) placing study materials on your desk so they’re ready to go later
How does removing SDs decrease undesirable behaviour?
Removing the SDs for undesirable behaviours (assuming extinction is NOT possible)
Examples
• Distractions for studying/work:
• Wear earplugs and/or headphones with white noise
How does “making the behaviour impossible” decrease undesirable behaviour
Example
Social media addiction:
Unsubscribe from facebook and twitter
How are abolishing operations used to decrease undesirable behaviour?
Examples
Healthy Eating:
• Eat before you go shopping to reduce the likelihood of buying junk food
• Do not go shopping when hungry
• Consume water and other healthy fibrous foods to keep yourself satiated and prevent snacking
• Brush your teeth prior to eating junk food
How does increasing response effort/delay decrease undesirable behaviours?
Example
Healthy Eating:
• Getting rid of all your junk food requires you to actually go to the store and purchase junk food
• Chew food your until it has turned to liquid
How does extinguishing SDs work for decreasing undesirable behaviour?
Example
Excessive urination:
SD = Washroom & Bladder pressure, B = Urination, C = Removal of bladder pressure. •
Treatment:
1. Practiced going to the washroom to perform a behaviour that didn’t involve the toilet and walk out
2. Upon feeling a hint of bladder pressure she would pause for 5 minutes before urinating
What is a conditioned aversive stimulus? (S-ave)?
Stimulus or event that precedes an operant and sets the occasion for ESCAPE or AVOIDANCE
What is an unconditional aversive stimulus?
Stimulus or event, that as a function of species history, an organism ESCAPES or AVOIDS
Phylogenetically important events that “impacts” the fitness of an organism
Positive VS negative punishment?
(Aversive contingencies)
Positive Punishment:
• Any event or stimulus that, when presented as a consequence of a behaviour, decreases the future probability of that behaviour.
Negative Punishment:
• Any event or stimulus that, when removed as a consequence of a behaviour, decreases the future probability of that behaviour
What is positive punishment in terms of overcorrection?
Form of positive punishment in which the individual has to engage in effortful behavior contingent on the problem behavior
What is positive punishment in terms of restitution?
Contingent on the problem behavior, the individual is required to fix the ENVIRONMENT disrupted by the problem behavior
What is positive punishment in terms of guided compliance?
Contingent on problem behavior that occurs following a request, the individual is physically guided to COMPLY with the request
• Positively Punishes non-compliance
• Negatively Reinforces compliance
• Positive Reinforcement of compliance is easily incorporated
What is positive punishment in terms of physical restraint?
Contingent on the problem behaviour, the body part involved in the behaviour is held IMMOBILE for a specified period of time.
• Used in conjunction with response blocking
Response Blocking:
• Physically stopping a behavior from being completed
• Can prevent problems generated by the behavior
• May prevent the behavior from being reinforced
What is negative punishment in terms time-out?
Time out from positive reinforcement
Loss of ACCESS to positive reinforcement is contingent on a response
Should be administered IMMEDIATELY
Should be NO MEANS of escaping the time-out
What is negative punishment in terms of response cost?
Contingent on a problem behaviour occurring, a SPECIFIED amount of reinforcer is REMOVED
• If reinforcer loss is delayed then conditioned punishers should be employed to bridge the delay and provide an immediate consequence
What is aversive/punishing stimulation?
Lemon juice, spray mist, spanking and auditory stimulation etc…
Rarely used
What is the premack principle in terms of reinforcement (review)
What is the premack principle in terms of punishment?
High-prob behaviour REINFORCES low-prob behaviour
Low-prob behaviour PUNISHES high-probability behaviour
What is escape learning?
Operant changes the environment from a situation where an unconditional negative reinforcer is present to one where it is ABSENT
Typically learned faster than avoidance responses
What is avoidance learning?
When an operant prevents the occurrence of an aversive stimuli
What is learned helplessness?
Dogs exposed to predictable (signaled) but inescapable shock do not try to
escape when later allowed to
• Model for depression and anxiety
Treatment: forced escape
Prevention: pre-exposure to escape
