Ch. 11: Chaining

Behavior Chaining

Putting together stimulus-response chains to get a complex set of behaviors

Stimulus-Response Chain

A series of S^D leading to R, with the final reinforcer being S^R

Task Analysis

Identification of all stimuli (S^Ds) and responses (Rs) in a behavioral chain

Example - Eating Oatmeal

S^D1 (bowl of oatmeal and spoon) → R1 (spoon in food)

S^D2 (spoon in food) → R2 (scooping food)

S^D3 (food on spoon → R3 (food in mouth → S^R (Eating)

Backward Chaining

Teaching the last S-R component first, then the next to last, and so on
Example: hold open sock

Forward Chaining

Teaching the first S-R component first, then the second, and so on
Example: Walk over to sock drawer, open sock drawer

Total Task Presentation

Executing the whole S-R chain in each training trial using graduated guidance
Example: Teaching to cook

Graduated Guidance

Involves hand-over-hand guidance and shadowing to get the learner to engage in the correct behavior

Behavioral Chaning Steps

1. Is chaining the right Procedure?
2. Task analysis of the S-R chain
3. Collect baseline data to see where a target is at
4. Choose chaining procedure and implement
5. Continue to collect data
6. Shift to intermittent reinforcement for maintenance of newly taught complex behavior

Training Sequence for Each Component

1. Present the SD
2. Verbal and physical prompt
3. Praise (and possibly other reinforcers) for correct response
4. Fade prompts
5. When response occurs without prompts,
move to the next S-R component
6. Continue steps 1-5 until done

Picture Prompts

Using pictures showing the whole process to guide behavior
Identity Matching Prompts!

Written Task Analysis

Similar to reading a task recipe to guide behavior

Self-Instructions

Memorized 'talk to yourself' instructions to walk through the behavioral chain

Which is better?

Depends on what someone is trying to learn
Easy tasks...either
Hard tasks...forward chaining

Which is more motivating?

Backward chaining because there is a reinforcer every time

How is chaining different from shaping?

Chaining has lots of prompts (antecedents) while shaping is driven by consequences

Chaining is teaching multiple steps of behaviors vs. shaping one complex behavior

Shaping uses extinction

In a behavioral chain, each response creates the stimulus for the next response

SD

Charlie's job is to stuff envelopes with four different colored brochures in the correct order for an advertising company. You put four pictures up on the wall in front of Charlie showing Charlie stuffing each brochure in the correct order. As a result, Charlie is able to do the job correctly.

What procedure have you used in this example to get Charlie to correctly engage in a chain of behaviors?

picture prompts

Charlie's job is to stuff envelopes with four different colored brochures in the correct order for an advertising company. You teach Charlie to recite the steps involved in his job ("Red, yellow, blue, and green"), and Charlie is able to do the job correctly.

What procedure have you used in this example to get Charlie to correctly engage in a chain of behaviors?

self-instructions

Pete's job is to put handles on gizmos in a factory. He sits in front of a conveyor belt with a box of handles on a table beside him. Each time a gizmo comes to him on the conveyor belt, Pete picks up a handle from the box on the table, puts the handle on the metal rod on the gizmo, and twists the handle once to tighten it. Based on this description, completed the following task analysis.

The first Sd (Sd1)= Gizmo on conveyor belt in front of Pete with box of handles on the table, and the first response (R1)= ___

The second Sd (Sd2)= _____ and the second response (R2)= _____.

The third Sd (Sd3)= _____ and the third response (R3)= _____.

R1: picks up handle from the box
Sd2: picks up handle from the box
R2: puts handle on the rod
Sd3: puts handle on the rod
R3: twists handle to tighten it

Based on the following task analysis, which Sd would you present first to start backward chaining?

(Sd1)= Gizmo on conveyor belt in front of Pete with box of handles on the table > (R1)= Picks up handle from the box.

(Sd2)= Picks up handle from the box > (R2)= Puts handle on the rod

(Sd3)= Puts handle on the rod > (R3)= Twists handle to tighten it

(Sd3) Puts handle on the rod

Based on the following task analysis, which Sd would you present first to start forward chaining?

(Sd1)= Gizmo on conveyor belt in front of Pete with box of handles on the table > (R1)= Picks up handle from the box.

(Sd2)= Picks up handle from the box > (R2)= Puts handle on the rod

(Sd3)= Puts handle on the rod > (R3)= Twists handle to tighten it

(Sd1) Gizmo on conveyor belt in front of Pete with box of handles on the table