ch 12: changing the stimulus control of a behaviour with fading

fading

the gradual change over successive trials of an antecedent stimulus that controls a response. new response eventually occurs to a changed or new antecedent stimulus

example of fading

a child only saying his name when it was said to him. the antecedent stimulus right now is “peter”. after fading, the antecedent stimulus would be “whats your name”

errorless discrimination training

the use of a fading procedure to establish a stimulus discrimination so that no errors occur

• need to correct errors first try to prevent it from becoming part of the routine

• 1. error may occur many times if not extinct

• 2. errors take up time

• 3. can cause tantrums

dimension of a stimulus

any characteristic of a stimulus that can be measured on some continuum

example of dimension of a stimulus

• loudness, number of teachers, physical set up of a classroom, how many people are watching

final target stimulus

ensure final response is likely to be maintained in the natural environment

starting stimulus

before fading starts, need to make sure stimulus reliably evokes the target behaviour (strong antecedent)

prompt

supplemental antecedent stimulus provided to increase that a desired behaviour will occur, but is not the final stimulus to control the behaviour

fading vs shaping

fading is the gradual change of a stimulus

shaping is the gradual change of a response while the stimulus stays the same

instructor behaviours as prompts

1. physical guidance - physically assist (hand over hand)

2. gestures - pointing or motioning

3. modeling - demonstrating

4. verbal - using words, instructions

environmental prompt

alterations of the physical environment to evoke desired behaviour

within stimulus prompt

variation of the SD or SA to make characteristics more noticeable and easier to discriminate

example of a within stimulus prompt

• oversized spoon

• exaggerated syllable (pen-CIL)

fading steps

• decreasing assistance

• increasing assistance

• graduated guidance

• time delay

decreasing assistance

gradually reducing the level of help or prompts provided as the learner becomes more independent in performing a task

increasing assistance

starting with minimal help and progressively providing more support as needed to ensure successful task completion

graduated guidance

providing immediate, physical, or verbal guidance to perform a task and systematically fading

• eg teaching how to ride a bike

time delay

introducing a deliberate pause between the task prompt and the assistance to encourage independent responses before offering help