psyc 4080 ch 9 & 11 (exam 2)

shaping

to develop a target behavior that a person does not currently exhibit.

shaping is used

to develop a target behavior that a person does not currently exhibit.

shaping is defined as

the differential reinforcement of successive approximations towards a goal

-(Differential reinforcement involves the basic principles of reinforcement and extinction.)

In order for something to be shaping:

There must be a change in behavior, and as behavior changes, contingencies must change along with it

-ex: as number of steps consistently increase from 700 to 800, stop reinforcing/implement extinction and only reinforce at 900, and so on until they get to the ultimate goal

to begin shaping you.....

1. identify an existing behavior that is an approximation of the target behavior (starting behavior, or first approximation) Reinforce this behavior until the person starts to exhibit this behavior more often.

2. stop reinforcing the behavior and, as part of the subsequent extinction burst, novel behaviors emerge

3. Now start reinforcing a novel behavior that is a closer approximation to the target behavior so the person starts to exhibit the new behavior more often and exhibits the previous behavior less often.

-This process continues until the person finally exhibits the target behavior

Theoretical importance of Shaping

helps us explain novel behaviors/where novel behaviors come from, unlike the four-term contingency, which is a historical, cumulative explanation for behaviors.

-Approximations to the target are what allows novel behavior to occur.

characteristics of good examples of shaping

-as behavior changes the criteria for reinforcement and extinction change too

-best when expecting/requiring the goal behavior won't be enough (too big a jump)

3 ways shaping can cause behavioral change:

1. Produce novel behaviors/topographies

2. Gradually increase the occurrence of a behavior in the repertoire (not a novel behavior, but something we want them to do more)

3. Changing response dimension (ex: intensity, magnitude, latency, duration)

shaping as an art form

shaping is implemented with qualitative, subjective criteria.

Shaping as a science

criteria for changing criteria is quantitative and objective (Ex: changing criterion designs, percentile schedules)

Failures of shaping

-Increasing criterion too quickly (not meeting behavior where it's at)

-Non-criterion responses still reinforced (ex: still rewarding someone for 700 steps after they moved on to 800 steps removes the incentive to get close to the target behavior for 10,000)

-Problems of reinforcer efficacy (ex: trying to reinforce a child with candy that they don't like)

Example of shaping

a child learning to say the word "ball"

-The child says "buh" in the presence of a ball. Parents get excited and reinforce this

-Parents stop reinforcing "buh", and eventually the child says "bah", which is closer to ball

-Parents start reinforcing the "bah", which is a newer, closer approximation to ball

-We continue this process until the child gets to "ball"

behavioral chain

a series of topographically distinct behaviors that are functionally linked by their production of terminal reinforcers; complex behavior consisting of many component behaviors that occur together in a sequence

behavioral chain example

when you pursue a college degree, you need to engage in a long, complex series of topographically distinct behaviors (write in English class, do math in math, do chemistry in chemistry, do bio lab, do presentations, etc) in order to obtain the degree (terminal reinforcer). These behaviors are all linked because they produce the degree

What Processes are Involved in Behavior Chains/What is Required?

Conditioned Reinforcement, Discriminative Stimuli

How do behavioral chains work?

the effects of each step in the chain will impact the environment (SR+) which serve 2 functions: serve as temporary reinforcement (R) for that step, and discriminative stimuli (SD) for the next step in the chain

Task analysis

The process of analyzing a behavioral chain by breaking it down into its individual stimulus-response components

-Operational definitions, defines each SD>R>SR+ contingency (context/when it occurs, response it acquires, and the impact it has on the environment)

SD>R>SR+ contingency

context/when the behavior occurs>response it acquires>the impact it has on the environment

-behavior chains

Single Opportunity Method (SOM)

We provide one single initial prompt and see how many steps in the behavior chain occur to obtain a baseline

Multiple Opportunity Method (MOM)

We give the initial prompt or instruction and then observe whether the first step of the behavior chain occurs. If it does not independently occur, then researchers will prompt the second step of the chain and so on. Gets a baseline by assessing if each step of the chain can independently occur

Multiple Opportunity Method (MOM) example

Example: putting on a jacket

Tell person to put on jacket

If they don't pick it up, hand it to them- see what they do

If they don't locate arm holes, prompt them to find arm holes

If they don't put hand through arm holes, prompt them to

Single Opportunity Method (SOM) example

Example: putting on a jacket, just tell the person to put on the jacket and observe what they do

Impasse steps:

steps in a behavior chain that, if not conducted independently, mean none of the rest of the steps can occur

Example: when brushing teeth, if you can't uncap the toothpaste, none of the rest of the steps can occur

Forward Chaining

start with the initial step in the chain and focus on that as a single response. Once that is occurring independently, we then add on subsequent steps

-Focus on step 1. Once step 1 occurs independently, then require steps 1 and 2. Once these occur independently, then you require steps 1, 2, and 3 and so on.

Forward Chaining Example

Child learning phone number- say "time to call mom"

-child learns to open phone is enough to get reinforcement at first

-once this occurs independently, a child dialing the first number is enough to get reinforcement

-once these both occur independently, a child dialing the next two numbers are enough

-continue until all steps of dialing full number occur independently

Backwards Chaining

Progress through the steps of chain in reverse order. Start with last step right before the terminal reinforcer is introduced. Once this occurs independently, move to the second last step, etc.

Backwards Chaining Example

Example: Calling parents

-First open the phone for child, dial number, and just have them press call and they can talk to their parents

-Once this occurs independently, dial every number in the chain except the last digit, have the child both dial it and press call

-Continue this process until the child does everything independently

Total Task Chaining

try to complete the entire chain of behavior every single learning opportunity/trial

strengths of backwards chaining

may better motivate individuals to learn the chain because they first learn the response that produces the terminal reinforcer, can rely on terminal reinforcer to maintain responding over artificial reinforcement (ex- kid learns when they zip up jacket they can go out and play as the first step)

weaknesses of backwards chaining

can be confusing or counterintuitive for teachers

weaknesses of total task chaining

learners may have to tolerate a long period before reinforcement, can be overwhelming and time consuming for people to learn so many steps at once.

Strengths of total task chaining

may be faster in the case of individuals who know most steps in the chain aside from a few. Best for when most of steps already in repertoire

strengths of forward chaining

most intuitive method

Weaknesses of forward chaining

long delay before the terminal reinforcer can be delivered, must rely on arbitrary/artificial reinforcement to maintain responding

example of backwards chaining

-build Lego structure for child, have them place the final block

-next, build structure expect leave them the last two blocks

-next, build structure and leave last 3 and so on