Transcript Behavioral Chaining

Getting a New Sequence of
Behaviors to Occur with
Behavioral Chaining
Chapter 11
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Vocabulary
• SD: discriminative stimulus: stimulus in the
presence of which a response is reinforced;
stimulus indicates that a response will “pay off.”
(e.g., SD of cat coming to you with ears forward
meowing has a response from you of petting the
cat and a reward of purring).
• S:S delta: stimulus in the presence of which a
response is not reinforced (does not “pay off.”)
(e.g., S of cat coming to you with ears back and
hissing… a response of petting will provoke no
response or running away).
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Definition
• Behavioral Chain
– A sequence of discriminative stimuli (SDs)
and responses (Rs) in which:
• Each response except the last produces the SD for
the next response
• The last response is followed by the reinforcer
• Each SD in a behavioral chain is:
– A cue for the next response
– A conditioned reinforcer for the previous
response (other than the first SD)
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Stimulus Response Chain
• Each response produces a cue for the next
response
• SD1  R1  SD2  R2  SD3  R3 …  S+
• S+ is the reinforcer at the end
• Stimulus-response connections are
“links” in the chain
• If any response is not produced by SD
before it, the chain will be broken
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Teaching a Behavioral Chain
• Total Task Presentation
–
–
–
–
Attempt all steps of the chain
Continue until every step is mastered
Prompting is provided as needed
Reinforcement is provided upon completing last step
• Backward Chaining
– Last step first
– Then, the next-to-the last step is taught and linked with last
step
– On each trial, the last step in the chain is reinforced
• Forward Chaining
– Initial step first
– Then, first and second, etc.
– On each trial, last step that was developed is reinforced
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Chaining Formats
• Total Task Presentation
S1  R1
S2  R2
S3  R3
Reinforcer
S3  R3
Reinforcer
S2  R2
S3  R3
Reinforcer
S2  R2
S3  R3
Reinforcer
• Backward Chaining
S1  R1
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Chaining Formats
• Forward Chaining
S1  R1
S1  R1
S1  R1
Reinforcer
S2  R2
S2  R2
Reinforcer
S3  R3
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Reinforcer
Chaining, Fading, and
Shaping Compared
• All are gradual change procedures
– Gradually, through a series of steps, all produce new
behavior
• Shaping steps
– Reinforcement of closer and closer approximations
of desired behavior
• Fading steps
– Reinforcement the final desired response in the
presence of closer and closer approximations to the
final desired stimulus for that response
• Chaining steps
– Reinforcing more and more of the specific stimulusresponse links
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Influencing the Effectiveness
of Behavioral Chaining
• Do a task analysis: Identify the components
of the final sequence
– Task analysis – process of breaking a task down
into smaller steps or component responses to
facilitate training
– Components should be selected so that there is a
clear stimulus signaling the completion of each
component
– Review each of the controlling stimuli for each of
the responses in the sequence
• If similar stimuli control different responses, there is
more chance for error and confusion
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Influencing the Effectiveness
of Behavioral Chaining
• Consider strategies for independent use
of prompts by learners
– Written task analysis
– Picture prompts
– Reciting self-instructions
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Influencing the Effectiveness
of Behavioral Chaining
• Consider conducting a preliminary modeling
trial
– Model entire sequence while verbally describing
the performance of each step
• Begin training the behavior chain
– Give instructions to begin work
– Start with appropriate step for the type of
chaining method used
– If learner makes a mistake, use error correction
• Provide necessary instruction or physical guidance
• After the error is corrected, move to the next step
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Influencing the Effectiveness
of Behavioral Chaining
• Consider using ample social and other
reinforcers
• Decrease extra assistance at individual
steps as quickly as possible
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Pitfalls of Behavioral Chaining
• Adventitious chains
– Chains that contain a response member that
is not necessary for reinforcement
• Special care needs to be taken to avoid
undesirable adventitious chaining
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Guideline for the Effective
Use of Behavioral Chaining
• Do task analysis
• Consider strategies for independent use of prompts by
learners
• If necessary, do a preliminary modeling trial
• Teach the units in the proper sequence
• To expedite learning, use fading procedures to decrease
extra help that may be needed by client to perform
some of the steps
• If using backward or forward chaining, make sure that
on each trial the learner performs the entire set of steps
learned up to that point
• Early in training, use ample reinforcement; decrease
gradually
• Make sure that reinforcer used is effective
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Eliminating Inappropriate
Behavior Through Punishment
Chapter 12
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Definitions
• Punisher
– Event that, when presented immediately after a
behavior, causes that behavior to decrease in
frequency
– Synonyms
• Aversive stimuli
• Aversives
• Principle of Punishment
– If in a certain situation a person engages in a
behavior that is followed immediately by a
punisher, then the person is less likely to do the
same thing again in a similar situation.
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Behavior Modification versus
Layperson View of Punishment
• Behavior Modification View:
– Punishment should be immediate
– Technical word – application of immediate
consequences to decrease behavior
• Differs from Layperson View
– Layperson view
• Should involve retribution
• Should be used as a deterrent for potential
wrong-doers
– Behavior modification view: should be used sparingly
to decrease or eliminate undesirable behavior
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Specific Types of Punishers
• Pain-inducing punishers
– Physical punishers
– Activate pain receptors
– Unconditioned punishers
• Reprimands
– Verbal reprimands
– Fixed stare
– Firm grasp
– Conditioned punishers
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Specific Types of Punishers
• Time-outs
– Moving a person to a less reinforcing situation
– Exclusionary time-out
• Removing a person for a short time from a situation
• Time-out room
– Nonexclusionary time-out
• Using a stimulus associated with less reinforcement
• Response Cost
– Removal of specified amount of reinforcer
– May involve indirect effects (delayed
punishment)
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Increasing the Effectiveness
of Punishment
• Increase stimuli for positive, alternative behaviors
• Minimize the cause of undesirable behaviors
• Select an appropriate punisher
– The more intense the better; however, intensity that is needed
is dependent upon the causes of undesirable behavior
• Adding an antecedent to punishment
– SDp – stimulus in the presence of which a response will be
punished
• Delivering the punisher
– Most effective when delivered immediately after the behavior
– Occasional punishment is less effective than punishment that
follows every instance of the undesirable behavior
– Delivery of punishment should not be paired with positive
reinforcement – this weakens the punisher
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Should Punishment Be Used?
• Can have harmful effects:
1.
2.
Elicits aggressive behavior
Can produce undesirable emotional side effects (i.e.
crying, fearfulness)
Escape and avoidance behavior
3.
•
4.
5.
Can cause the situation and people associated with the
aversive stimulus to become conditioned punishers
No new behavior is taught
Modeling of punishment
•
6.
Children may learn to apply aversive stimuli on others
Continued use of punishment
•
•
Punishment results in quick suppression of undesirable
behavior
This can lead to overuse and not enough use of
reinforcement of desirable behavior
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Behavior Modifiers and
Punishment Programs
• Recommendation to use punishment as a last resort because:
– Easy to abuse
– Application can have harmful side effects
• Consider designing punishment programs only when:
– Clear steps are taken to maximize the conditions for a desirable
alternative response and to minimize the causes of the response
to be punished
– The behavior is very maladaptive and it is in the client’s best
interest to bring about rapid behavior change
– The client (or parent or guardian) provides informed consent
– The intervention meets ethical standards
– Punishment is applied according to clear guidelines
– The program includes safeguards to protect the client
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Pitfall of Punishment
• May discourage close approximations of
behavior from developing into target
behavior
• May result in undesirable side effects
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Guidelines for the Effective
Application of Punishment
• Select a response
– Punishment is more effective with a specific behavior
• Maximize the conditions for a desirable alternative response
– Select alternative behavior
– Provide strong prompts
– Reinforce
•
•
•
•
Minimize the causes of the response to be punished
Select an effective punisher
Present clear SDps
Deliver the punisher
– Present immediately after every instance of response to be
decreased
– Administer in a calm, matter-of-fact manner
– Do not pair with reinforcement
• Take data
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Establishing Behavior by
Escape and Avoidance
Conditioning
Chapter 13
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Escape Conditioning
• Removal of aversive stimuli after
response, increases likelihood of response
• Negative reinforcement
• Aversive stimulus must be present for
desired response to occur
• Preparatory training for Avoidance
Conditioning
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The associated text is “See Table 13-1 for other examples of escape
conditioning.” (page 161)
Examples of Escape Conditioning
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Avoidance Conditioning
Behavior will increase in frequency if it
prevents an aversive stimulus from
occurring.
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Avoidance Conditioning
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Discriminated Avoidance
Conditioning
• Involves a warning signal of a forthcoming
aversive stimulus
– Synonyms: conditioned aversive stimulus,
conditioned punisher
• A conditioned aversive stimulus is also a
conditioned punisher; that is, it will
suppress the occurrence of any response
that it follows
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Pitfall of Escape and
Avoidance Conditioning
• Undesirable behavior may be
strengthened
• Inadvertent establishment of conditioned
aversive stimuli
– Individual responds by avoiding or escaping
them
• Maintains undesirable behaviors of the
teacher or other caregivers
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Guidelines for the
Effective Application
• Avoidance procedure preferable over escape
procedure
• Target behavior should be established by escape
conditioning before it is put on an avoidance
procedure
• Use warning signal to signal impending aversive
stimulus during avoidance conditioning
• Use escape and avoidance conditioning cautiously
• Use positive reinforcement in conjunction with
escape and avoidance conditioning
• Individuals should be told about the
contingencies
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