Exam Study Guide on Timeout, Response Cost, and Generalization

This set of flashcards is designed to help students review key concepts related to Timeout, Response Cost, Positive Punishment, and Generalization for their upcoming exam.

What is TO in behavioral terms?

Timeout (TO) is the loss of access to all positive reinforcers for a brief period contingent on problem behavior, resulting in a decrease in that problem behavior.

What is the difference between non-exclusionary and exclusionary TO?

Non-exclusionary TO allows the individual to stay in the room but removes access to positive reinforcement, while exclusionary TO involves removing the individual from the environment where the problem behavior occurred to another room.

When is it appropriate to use TO?

TO should be used for problem behaviors maintained by social positive reinforcement, such as attention or tangibles.

Why should TO not be used for social negative reinforcement?

Using TO for escape-maintained behavior would reinforce the problem behavior by allowing the individual to escape the situation.

What is response cost?

Response cost is the removal of a specified amount of a specific reinforcer that the person already has, contingent on the occurrence of a problem behavior, which results in a decrease in future probability of that behavior.

Provide an example of response cost.

Fines imposed by government or law enforcement, such as parking tickets or IRS penalties for late tax payments.

What is the typical duration of a timeout?

The typical duration of TO is between 1 to 10 minutes, but can be extended if the individual engages in problem behavior after the timeout period.

Describe overcorrection as a positive punishment procedure.

Overcorrection requires the client to engage in effortful behavior for a certain period contingent on a problem behavior.

What is positive practice in terms of overcorrection?

Positive practice involves the client practicing the correct form of a behavior for a set time or number of repetitions after the occurrence of a problem behavior.

What does generalization refer to in behavioral terms?

Generalization is when changes in behavior occur in relevant situations outside of the training context.

What is an example of incorporating common stimuli in training for generalization?

A child with autism learns to request toys using the same toys and peers found in their actual classrooms.

What is a self-management strategy?

Self-management is the process in which a person uses behavioral principles/procedures to change their own behavior.

Give an example of goal-setting as a self-management strategy.

Writing down the criterion level of a target behavior, such as running a specific number of miles each week.