Week 9: Behaviour Chaining, Operant & Respondent Conditioning Together

Question 1

Behaviour chain/stimulus-response chain

Answer 1

• Consistent sequence of stimuli and responses that occur closely to each other in time and where the last response is followed by a reinforcer
• Has to be CLOSE PROXIMITY
• Ex. sight of fork –> reach for fork –> fork in hand –> fork in food –> food on fork –> fork in mouth –> reinforcing food
• SD1 -> R1 -> SD2 -> R2 -> SD3 -> R3…SD7 -> R7

Question 2

Total-task presentation method

Answer 2

• Whole task is laid out step-by-step
• Whole sequence laid out fr beginning (told steps)
• Go through step-by-step (only given reinforcer if all steps are done)

Question 3

The backward-chaining method

Answer 3

• Starts at last stimulus & work backward
• S3 -> R3 –> Reinforcer … S2 -> R2 -> S3 -> R3 –> Reinforcer… S1 -> R1…
• When they’re having trouble understanding steps/are unmotivated
• Reinforce each step & work backwards –> Builds motivation
• Ex. “Snap done up” -> “Slacks all the way up” -> “Both legs in slacks” -> One leg in slacks -> “Slacks held upright” -> Slacks in hands -> “Put on your slacks”

Question 4

The forward-chaining method

Answer 4

• Start at first stimulus
• Constantly building & breaking associations
• Not best if unmotivated
• S1 -> R1 –> Reinforcer…S1 -> R1 -> S2 -> R2 –> Reinforcer…

Question 5

Which method of teaching a behaviour chain is most effective?

Answer 5

• Can all be
• Evidence that total-task is most effective (focuses on teaching response and response sequence simultaneously; appears to maximize independence)

Question 6

Gradual change procedures

Answer 6

• Progressing gradually through series of stesp to produce new behaviour, stimulus control over a behaviour, or new sequence of stimulus-response steps

Question 7

Unaware-misapplication pitfall of chaining

Answer 7

Adventitious chain: Superstitious component, non-functional component that’s part of a behaviour chain that produced the reinforcer (ex. tapping fork on table before eating it b/c it was accidentally incorporated into chain)

Question 8

Example of respondent and operant conditioning acting together for exams

Answer 8

• Respondent consequence: Punishment for not studying enough = anxiety
• Stronger conditioned response: Closer to exam = more anxiety
• Operant consequence: Studying = relieve anxiety

Question 9

How a dog attack can have both respondent and operant conditioning

Answer 9

• Respondent: Fear conditioned from dog knocking child down
• Operant: Punishment from dog knocking child down

Question 10

Components of emotions

Answer 10

• Feeling component, which is internal, private and subjective
• Overt, public and objective component

Question 11

Respondent component of emotions

Answer 11

• Our feelings
• 4 major classes of respondents: reflexes of digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system, skeletal/motor reflexes (ANS heavily tied to emotions)

Question 12

Operant component of emotions

Answer 12

• Our actions
• Depends on each person’s conditioning history (ex. modelled by those around us, punishments, reinforcers)
• Secondary displays of emotion vary from person to person and from culture to culture
• Our Awareness and descriptions
• Taught to be aware and describe emotions

Question 13

Causes of emotions

Answer 13

• Presentation & withdrawal of reinforcers
• Presentation & withdrawal of aversive stimuli
• Occur along continuum

Question 14

Cause of joy

Answer 14

Presentation of reinforcers

Question 15

Cause of anger

Answer 15

Withholding/withdrawing reinforcers

Question 16

Cause of anxiety

Answer 16

Presentation of aversive stimuli

Question 17

Cause of relief

Answer 17

Withdrawal of aversive stimuli

Question 18

The autonomic reaction felt during emotions is influenced by ______ conditioning

Answer 18

Respondent

Question 19

The way you learn to express emotion overtly is influenced by _____ conditioning

Answer 19

Operant (learn appropriate ways to respond)

Question 20

The way you become aware of and describe your emotions is influenced by ____ conditioning

Answer 20

Operant

Question 21

Conditioned seeing

Answer 21

• Component of thinking
• Pairing words w/ an image
• Produce image in your brain
• Respondent component
• Developed by Skinner

Question 22

Conditioned sensing

Answer 22

• Component of thinking
• Pairing w/ other senses
• Ex. distinct perfume paired w/ person
• Respondent component
• Developed by Skinner

Question 23

Self-talk

Answer 23

• Component of thinking
• Skinner proposed that we learn to silently talk to ourselves at a very early age
• Largely b/c we encounter punishers when we think out loud (learn to not say some things out loud)
• Private verbal behaviour to help navigate tasks
• Operant component

Question 24

Covert behaviour

Answer 24

• Private behaviour often includes both respondent and operant components of thinking & emotions
• Ex. child being teased –> operant thinking “I wonder if bullies will be there”, conditioned seeing = picturing bullies there –> negative emotions (reflexive) –> behaviour: carefully pick outfit