Transcript Phishment by Removal of a Stimulus

Chapter 15:
Punishment by Removal of a
Stimulus
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Definition of Punishment by
Removal of a Stimulus
• Stimulus removed
• Contingent upon a response
• That decreases the future probability of
that response
• The future decrease in the response is
a critical feature in defining punishment
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Punishment by contingent
removal of a stimulus
Future
Frequency
Behavior is
reduced
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Stimulus Change
Stimulus
Applied
Stimulus
Removed
Type I
Positive
Punishment
Type II
Negative
Punishment
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Example
EO
SD
Response
SR-
Child is
participating
in classroom
buddy
activities,
where
attention
from peers
(a positive
reinforcer) is
available.
Adult says,
“Let’s open
our books to
page 12.
Each of you
should read
the first
paragraph to
your buddy.”
Child
pokes his
buddy
Adult places
child in time
out (peer
attention is
removed)
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Poking a buddy
occurs less often
in the future when
the teacher gives
a classroom
instruction and
peer buddies are
available.
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Time-out from Positive
Reinforcement
• The withdrawal of the opportunity to earn
positive reinforcement, or
• The loss of access to reinforcers for a
specified period of time
• Contingent upon the occurrence of a target
behavior
• If the effect of these is to decrease the future
probability of the behavior, then this
procedure has functioned as a punisher for
the behavior
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Important Aspects of Time-out
• The discrepancy between “time-out” and
“time-in” must be great
• The loss of access to reinforcement must be
contingent upon a target behavior
• There is a resultant decrease in the future
probability of the behavior (otherwise it is
likely not time out from reinforcement
because the EO that preceded the behavior
was not a reinforcing, “time-in” environment)
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Time-out Procedures
• Nonexclusion
– Planned ignoring
– Withdrawal of a specific positive reinforcer
– Contingent observation
– Time-out ribbon
• Exclusion
– Time-out room
– Partition time-out
– Hallway time-out
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Nonexclusion Time-out
• The individual is not completely
removed physically from time-in setting
• However, position within the
environment may shift
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Planned Ignoring
• Social reinforcers--usually attention, physical
contact, or verbal interaction--are removed for
a brief period
– Systematically looking away from the student
– Remaining quiet
– Refraining from any interaction for a specified
period of time
• Planned ignoring is
– Nonintrusive
– Quick
– Convenient
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Withdrawal of a Specific
Positive Reinforcer
• Some sort of positive reinforcer that is
already present is removed for a brief
period of time contingent upon a target
behavior, and then reinstated
• Can be implemented as a group
contingency
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Contingent Observation
• The individual is repositioned within the
existing setting
– Observation of ongoing activities is still
possible
– Access to reinforcement is lost, however
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Time-out Ribbon
• A colored band is placed on the child’s
wrist and is discriminative for receiving
reinforcement
– Child earns reinforcers when it is on
• Contingent upon a target behavior, the
colored band is removed for a specified
period of time
– All social interaction is terminated
– Other reinforcers are also withheld
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Exclusion Time-out
• The individual is removed, physically,
from the environment for a specified
period of time
• Contingent upon the occurrence of a
target behavior
– Time-out room
– Separated by partition
– Placed in hallway
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Time-out Room
• A confined space outside the
individual’s normal educational or
treatment environment
• It is devoid of any positive reinforcers;
also minimally furnished
• It is safe (adequate heat and light),
secure (but not locked) and temporary
• Near time-in setting
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Advantages of Time-out
Rooms
• Opportunity to acquire reinforcement is
eliminated or reduced substantially
• After a few exposures, students learn to
discriminate it from other rooms (making
the time-in setting more desirable)
• Decreases risk of student hurting other
students
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Disadvantages of Time-out
Rooms
• Must escort students to time-out
• May result in resistance, emotional
outbursts
• Access to ongoing instruction is
prohibited
• Individuals may engage in behaviors
(e.g., self-injury) that should be stopped
but go undetected
• Negative public perception
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Partition Time-out
• Individual remains in time-in setting, but
his view within the setting is restricted
by a partition, wall, or cubicle
• Advantage: Keeps individual in
instructional setting
• Disadvantages: Individual still may be
able to obtain covert reinforcement,
negative public perception
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Hallway Time-out
• Individual sits in hallway outside of
classroom or treatment area
• Not highly recommended strategy
– Individual can obtain reinforcement from a
multitude of sources
– Child can escape easily
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Desirable Aspects of Time-out
• Ease of application (especially
nonexclusion time-out)
• Acceptability (especially nonexclusion)
• Rapid suppression of problem behavior
• Easily combined with other procedures,
such as differential reinforcement
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Effective Use of Time Out
• Reinforce and enrich the time-in
environment
– Utilize differential reinforcement to
reinforce alternative and incompatible
behaviors
• Clearly define the behaviors leading to
time-out
– All parties (including the target individual)
should have explicit, observable definitions
of the problem behavior
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Effective Use of Time Out
• Define procedures for the duration of
time-out
– Initial duration should be short
– Longer than 15 minutes ineffective
• Define exit criteria
– If individual is misbehaving when time-out
ends, it should be continued until
inappropriate behavior ceases
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Effective Use of Time Out
• Exclusion vs. nonexclusion time-out
– Consider institutional policies that may prevent
exclusion time-out
– Physical factors (i.e., lack of appropriate space)
may prevent exclusion time-out
• Explain time-out rules to the individual
– Target behaviors, duration, exit criteria
• Obtain permission
– Administrative approvals
– Parental approvals
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Effective Use of Time Out
• Apply consistently
• Evaluate effectiveness
– Target behavior should decrease
– Track frequency and duration of time outs
– Also track collateral behaviors for side
effects
• Consider other options
• Consider legal and ethical issues
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Response Cost
• Loss of a specific amount of
reinforcement
• Contingent upon a target behavior
• Reduces the future probability of the
target behavior
• Examples: reclaiming awards or
stickers, “fines” (e.g., loss of tokens or
money)
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Example
EO
SD
Response
SR-
Child has 15
minutes of
recess on
schedule
every
morning.
Adult says,
“Let’s open
our books to
page 12.
Each of you
should read
the first
paragraph to
your buddy.”
Child
pokes his
buddy
5 minutes of
the recess
time is
removed
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Poking a buddy
occurs less often
in the future when
the teacher gives
a classroom
instruction and
recess is
available.
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Desirable aspects of
Response Cost
• Produces rapid decreases in the target
behavior
• Convenient and easy to implement (can
be incorporated into existing token or
allowance programs)
• Is easily combined with other
approaches (such as differential
reinforcement)
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Methods of Response Cost
•
•
•
•
Direct fine
Bonus response cost
Combined with positive reinforcement
Group arrangements
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Fines
• Directly fine a specific amount of the
positive reinforcer
• Consider legal and ethical
appropriateness
– e.g., denying access to food and free time
may be unethical or undesirable
– Obtain permission from human rights
review committees
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Bonus Response Cost
• Make additional reinforcers available to
the individual, specifically for removal
during a response-cost contingency
• This may relieve many of the legal and
ethical dilemmas involved with response
cost
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Combining with Positive
Reinforcement
• Combine with point/token programs
(differential reinforcement)
• Advantages
– If all points or tokens are not lost, they can
be exchanged for back-up reinforcers
– The use of reinforcers reduce the legal and
ethical concerns
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Combining with Group
Contingencies
• Contingent upon any member of a
group, the entire group loses a specified
amount of reinforcement
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Effective Use of Response
Cost
• Specifically define the target behaviors
that will result in response cost, as well
as the fines
• Establish rules for refusals to comply
with the response-cost procedure, and
explain these
• Greater fines should be associated with
more severe forms of problem behavior
– Be cautious of making fines so great that
the individual becomes “bankrupt”
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Effective Use of Response
Cost
• Fines should be posed immediately
• Response cost vs. bonus response cost
– Use least aversive initially (bonus response
cost)
• Increases acceptability
• Decreases emotional outbursts
• Ensure reinforcement reserve
(decrease likelihood of “bankruptcy”
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Effective Use of Response
Cost
• Be prepared for unplanned or
unexpected outcomes
– Response cost can reinforce rather than
punish undesirable behavior
– Individuals can refuse to give up positive
reinforcers
• Avoid overuse
• Keep records to evaluate effectiveness
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Response Cost Considerations
• Increased aggression may occur
– Ignore emotional outbursts when possible
• Either don’t use response cost if this is expected
• Or be prepared to ride out the storm
• Avoidance of the person who administers
response cost or the setting may occur
– These become “conditioned aversive stimuli”
– Make sure positive reinforcement is available
for appropriate behavior to reduce the
likelihood of this outcome
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved
Response Cost Considerations
• Collateral reductions of desirable
behaviors may occur
– Response cost may unintentionally
suppress other, desirable behaviors, as
well as the target problem behaviors
• Response cost calls attention to
inappropriate behaviors
• Be prepared for unpredictability
Cooper, Heron, and Heward
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved