5010 Exam 2

Two Major Types of Behavior Antecedents

Discriminative Stimuli (SD)

Motivating Operation (MO)

Discriminative Stimuli (SD)

Antecedents that “set the occasion” for behavior

Signals the availability of the behavioral consequences

Examples: Instructions, traffic lights, presence of people

Motivating Operation (MO)

Events that temporarily affect the value of a behavioral consequence

Changes how much the person wants the consequence

Example: going without food or water

Two Types of MOs

Establishing Operation

Abolishing Operation

Establishing Operation

Temporarily makes a stimulus more reinforcing

Example: eating salty chips makes a liquid to drink more reinforcing

Abolishing Operation

Temporarily makes a stimulus less reinforcing

Example: eating a whole bag chips temporarily makes chips less reinforcing.

Compare/Contrast SD versus MO

Similar: both are antecedent events and alter the probability of behavior occurring

Differences: SD sets the occasion for the behavior to occur while MO temporarily alters the value of behavior consequences

3-Term Contingency

MO: stimulus event or condition that temporarily alters the value of a behavioral consequence

SD: antecedents that “set the occasion” for behavior

Behavior:

Consequence: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, negative punishment

Effect on future probability of behavior: increase or decrease

3-Term Contingency: Positive Reinforcement

MO: Student has not had anything to eat since breakfast 

𝑺𝑫: The science teacher (who hands out candy for correct answers) says, “Who knows the three states of matter?” 

Behavior: Student raises her hand and answers the question 

Consequence: Teacher gives the student a piece of candy 

Effect on future probability of behavior: Student is more likely to raise her hand and answer questions in the future

3-Term Contingency: Negative Reinforcement

MO: Student has been completing academic work all morning 

𝑺𝑫: Teacher says, “It’s time to go to your reading group.” 

Behavior: The student spits on another student during the transition to reading groups 

Consequence: Teacher sends the student out in the hall (student escapes from reading group) 

Effect on future probability of behavior: Student is more likely to hit another student during the transition to reading groups in the future 

3-Term Contingency: Positive Punishment

MO: Student has a sore wrist from playing on the playground structure during recess 

𝑺𝑫: Presence of Teacher 1 who makes students write an apology letter when the destroy class property 

Behavior: Students draws on the desk during whole class instruction 

Consequence: Teacher makes the student write a full-page apology letter 

Effect on future probability of behavior: Student is less likely to draw on the desk in Teacher 1’s class in the future

3-Term Contingency: Negative Punishment

MO: Student is one token away from earning free time 

𝑺𝑫: Presence of Teacher 1, who has removed tokens in the past 

Behavior: Student talks out during independent work time 

Consequence: Teacher removes the tokens the student has earned so far 

Effect on future probability of behavior: The student is less likely to talk out during independent work time in the future

Selecting and Defining Target Behaviors

Always consider social validity when you target behavior:

• Is the goal (behavior to increase or decrease) socially acceptable to the student, teacher, or society.

Habilitation: good target behaviors improve quality of life:

• New appropriate skills

• Reduce threats to health and safety

• Provide for more opportunities to learn and contact additional reinforcement

How “Behaviors” are Described and Talked About

Behaviors are described in objective terms, often referred to as an “operational definition”

• Operational definitions describe the behavior using specific objective language that demonstrates exactly what the behavior looks like

• Operational definitions typically include information about the duration of the behavior, number of occurrences, etc.

Questions and Considerations When Choosing a Target Behavior

1. Is it likely to produce reinforcement in the natural environment after intervention?

2. Is it a necessary prerequisite for a more complex and functional skill?

3. Will it increase access to environments in which other important behaviors can be acquired?

4. Will changing this behavior predispose others to interact with the student in a more appropriate and supportive manner?

5. Is it age appropriate?

6. If it is to be reduced, has a functional behavior been selected to replace it?

7. Does it represent the actual problem or goal?

Three Characteristics of a Good Behavioral Definition

Objective

• Observable characteristics of a behavior

• Avoid references to intent and states

Clear

• Unambiguous, easily understood, and readily paraphrased

Complete

• Describes the boundaries of the behavior

• What is included?

• What is excluded?

Examples and non-examples of behaviors

Examples of Behavioral Definition

Be able to provide objective, clear, complete of everyday classroom behaviors

• Using active verbs

• Making sure it’s observable (not subjective)

• Measurable

• Clear and Concise

• Sets Boundaries

Why Take Data?

Makes us accountable for what we said we would do

Motivates us to do better

Makes progress, or lack of, transparent to everyone

Allows immediate evaluations and modifications

Allows other team members to help problem solve

Reveals information about why behaviors may or may not be occurring

How can Behavior be Continuously Measured?

• Frequency/Rate

• Duration

• Latency

• Intensity

• Be able to define each and provide examples

Frequency/Rate

The number of times the behavior occurs in an observation period

The number of times a target behavior occur within a time period

Duration

The total amount of time occupied by the behavior from start to finish

Latency

The time between the instruction and the start of the behavior

Intensity

How intense a behavior is

Per-Opportunity Recording

Per opportunity (or percentage of opportunities): observer records the occurrence of a behavior in relation to some other event

Stimulus bound and response based: the behavior can only happen when given an opportunity

Metric is usually:

• Proportion or opportunities performed or performed correctly

Plot (graph)

• Percentage (%)

Permanent Product Recording

Permanent Product: the tangible outcome, or result, of a behavior

Advantages:

• Does not require continuous observation

• Durable (lasts a long time for repeated review)

Dimensions of behavior captured:

• Rate

• Duration or latency (only if audio or video)

• Topography

• Force