RBT Study Session Outline

What is ABA?

An evidence based applied science used to teach socially appropriate behaviors and for developing a technology of behavior change that is practical and applicable

When were the dimensions of ABA outlined?

In the 1st dimension of JABA in 1968 by Baer, Wolff, and Risley

What is the significance of BF Skinner?

Spear-headed the science of ABA, first implementing the principles when training and shaping rats. Based on his work, we are able to change our kiddos behaviors through operant conditioning

What is the significance of Pavlov?

He taught dogs how to salivate at the sound of a bell. He used respondent behavior to train these animals

What is the difference between operant behavior and respondent behavior?

Operant behavior is voluntary compared to respondent behavior which is involuntary. We train by working on operant behaviors

What is operant contingency?

Operant contingency refers to the relationship between a behavior and its consequences, where the behavior is more likely to occur if it is followed by a desirable consequence and less likely to occur if it is followed by an undesirable consequence.

True/False: behaviors that we correct are always observable to the naked eye.

True

What is the dead man test?

The “Dead Man Test” is when you ask yourself this question: if a dead man can do it, then it is NOT a behavior

What is unconditioned reinforcement?

A stimulus change that can increase the future frequency of a behavior without any learning history.

Ex: food, water, etc.

What is a conditioned reinforcement?

When a previously neutral stimulus acts as a reinforcer for future behavior through learning history

What are the three principles of behavior?

Punishment, extinction, and reinforcement

What are the four functions of behavior?

Sensory, Escape/Avoidance, Attention-seeking, Tangible

What is the sensory function of behavior?

When a child emits a certain behavior because he/she likes how it looks, feels, smells, tastes, etc

What is the escape/avoidance function of behavior?

When a child emits the behavior to escape or avoid an aversive stimuli or situation

What is the attention-seeking function of behavior?

When a child emits a behavior to gain attention from others, this can be positive or negative attention

What is the tangible function of behavior?

When a child emits a behavior to gain access to a preferred toy/activity

To figure out the function of a behavior we need to do what?

One of the following: Functional Analysis (FBA), Direct Descriptive FBA, or Indirect FBA

What is Functional Analysis (FBA)

The Gold Standard to figure our the function of a behavior. Allows us to confirm our hypothesis about the functional relationship. Antecedents and consequences are manipulated so that we can see the effect on behavior

What is Direct Descriptive FBA?

Direct observation of problem behavior under natural conditions W

What is indirect FBA?

When we use questionnaires about the behavior from those who are around the individual (often used in conjunction with functional analysis)

What are the 5 types of positive reinforcers?

1. Edible (like snacks)
2. Activity (physical activity)
3. Social (social activity or social attention)
4. Tangible (an item or toy)
5. Sensory (sensory toy or activity)

What are the two types of negative reinforcement?

Escape and avoidance

What are the 5 types of positive punishment interventions?

1. __Reprimands__: “No! Stop that!”
2. __Overcorrection__: there is restitutional overcorrection in which you have them go above and beyond the crime and positive practice overcorrection in which you repeat the correct behavior over and over again
3. __Shock or ECT__
4. __Exercise__


1. __Response blocking__: physically stopping the individual from engaging in the behavior

What are the two types of negative punishment?

Response cost and Time-out

What is response cost?

The withdrawal of specific amounts of reinforcer contingent upon inappropriate behavior

Ex: A wrong answer results in loss of points; come to class without a pencil, buy one for 5 points

What are the two types of time-out?

Exclusionary and nonexclusionary

What is nonexclusionary timeout?

When a child is NOT removed from the room, but is just removed from partaking in the reinforcement

What is exclusionary timeout?

When you REMOVE the child and take them to a different area

What is the difference between response cost and timeout?

Response cost:

* ==Removal of the reinforcers themselves==
* loss of earned reinforcers
* lost forever
* tangibles

\
Time-Out:

* ==Removal of access to reinforcers==
* Loss of opportunity to earn reinforcers
* lost temporarily
* activities

What is extinction?

When a child can emit a behavior, but it no longer provides reinforcement to continue in the future

* problem behavior no longer occurs or cessation of maladaptive behavior

What is an extinction burst?

When there is a burst in the behavior that was recently placed on extinction (increase in intensity or rate)

What is a spontaneous burst?

When a behavior that has been placed on extinction for awhile spontaneously pops up again

What is stimulus control?

A behavior is under stimulus control if it only happens in the presence of that stimuli

What is the SD?

Also known as the discriminative stimulus, is when a behavior is reinforced in the presence of this particular stimulus

What is Sdelta?

When a behavior is NOT reinforced in the absence of a particular stimuli

What is MO?

The motivating operation which drives any behavior that we emit

What are the two types of MO’s?

Abolishing operation: decreases the effectiveness of the stimuli as a reinforcer

Establishing operation: increases the effectiveness of the stimuli as a reinforcer

What are the elementary verbal operants by Skinner?

Echoics, Mands, Intraverbal, and Tact

What are echoics?

This is when a child can repeat what you say when you ask them to. This is merely the act of echoing vocalizations. We use verbal praise as reinforcement for this behavior W

What are mands?

This is when we are teaching a kid to ask for items/activities. It comes from the word demand. We use the desired item as reinforcement for this behavior

What is intraverbal?

This is when we are teaching a kid to answer questions or fill in the blank. We use verbal praise for this behavior W

What is tact?

This is teaching a kid to label their environment. This can be done in NET and during DTT. Usually the therapist will ask “What is this?” and the kid will answer with the correct answer

What is continuous reinforcement?

Reinforcer follows every response

What is intermittent reinforcement?

Reinforcer does not follow every response

What is fixed ratio reinforcement?

A fixed number of responses must be emitted before reinforcement occurs

What are the basic schedules of reinforcement?

Variable Interval, Fixed Interval, Variable Ratio, Fixed Ratio

What is the fixed ratio schedule?

Reinforcer is given after each X response

* High response rate
* Irregular burst of responding. More responses that in continuous reinforcement, less than in variable ratio

What is the fixed interval schedule?

Reinforcer for first response to occur after each X minutes

* Stops working after reinforcement
* Slow gradual decrease in responding

What is the variable ratio schedule?

Reinforcer is given after X responses on the average

* Very high response rates. The higher the ratio, the higher the rate
* Very resistant to extinction

What is the variable interval schedule?

Reinforcer is given for first response after each X minutes on the average

* steady rate of responding
* very resistant to extinction

What are compound schedules of reinforcement?

A combination of continuous reinforcement, the 4 basic schedules, differential reinforcement of various rates of responding, and extinction

What is a concurrent schedule of reinforcement?

When you have two different scheduling going on at the same time, but one of the schedules is dense than the other. Therefore, you are more likely to pick the activity in which you will be reinforced for more

* think matching law: states that you are more likely to do the behaviors that will get you reinforced more often

What is multiple schedules of reinforcement?

When you have 2 usually random and alternating order and there is a SD saying which reinforcement schedule is in effect

What are mixed schedules of reinforcement?

When you have 2 usually random and alternating order and there is NO SD saying which reinforcement schedule is in effect W

What is a chained schedule of reinforcement?

When you have 2 or more basic schedule requirements that have to occur in a specific order and are signaled with a SD.

* Think like creating a chain

What are tandum schedules of reinforcement?

When you have 2 or more basic schedule requirements that DO NOT HAVE to occur in a specific order and are not signaled with a SD

What are alternative schedules of reinforcement?

When the requirement of either a ratio OR an interval schedule is met, you can get reinforcement by whichever you complete first

What are conjuctive schedules of reinforcement?

When the requirement of reinforcement by completing BOTH a ratio and interval schedule

What is shaping?

A process involving systematically reinforcing successive approximations of the target behavior

* shaping teaches kids new behaviors

What is a behavior chain?

A chain of behaviors that all link up to reach an end result. Each behavior link is the cue for the next behavior and causes a stimulus change that becomes the reinforcement for the previous behavior

Ex: brushing teeth, first turn on water. End result is clean teeth

What are the four types of behavior chaining?

Forward chaining, Backward chaining, Total task, and Backward with leaps ahead

What is forward chaining?

When you prompt the kids to do the first step and then you finish the rest of the steps

What is backward chaining?

When you complete all of the steps EXCEPT the last one and have the kid do that one

What is total task chaining?

When you prompt the kid to complete the whole task

What is backward chaining with leaps ahead?

When you use the backward chaining procedure but you allow the kid to skip teaching steps that they can already do

What is DRO?

Differential reinforcement of other behavior. Providing reinforcement for the lack of behavior

What is DRI?

Differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviors. Reduces behaviors by increasing incompatible behaviors

What is DRA?

Differential reinforcement of alternate behaviors. Increases behavior by reinforcing appropriate behaviors

What is DRH?

Differential reinforcement of high rates of behavior. Increases behavior by reinforcing lower rates of behavior. Focuses on increasing the number of occurrences

What is DRL?

Differential reinforcement of low rates of behavior. A schedule in which a minimum amount of time must elapse between responses in order for reinforcement to occur. Focuses on reducing the number of occurrences

What is DRD?

Differential reinforcement of diminishing rates. Similar to DRL, except unlink DRL, this does not have an IRT component. Meaning that when we use this we are not trying to decrease behavior by increasing the time between responses, we are trying to decrease behavior as a whole

What is the premack principle?

Also known as Grandmother’s law, is when you ask your kid to complete a non-preferred task and then they will be able to engage in a preferred task

What is group contingency?

If a group meets a goal for behavior, then that group is rewarded

Three types:

* Interdependent
* Dependent
* Independent

What are the three antecedent strategies?

1. Noncontingent reinforcement: a response independent schedule of reinforcement
2. High probability request sequence: asking a kid to complete 3, quick paced instructions that you know they can and will do, then follow it up with one they do not do independently


1. Functional communication training: a way to teach a kid to appropriately communicate their needs that will compete with challenging behaviors

What is DTT?

Discrete trial training. Created by Lovaas. Consists of 5 different components: an SD, a prompt, a response, reinforcement, and inter-trial intervals

What are the two types of stimulus prompts?

Stimulus fading and stimulus shape transformation

What is stimulus fading?

The gradual removal of an intrusive prompt until the control transfers to the natural SD

What is stimulus shape transformation?

The systematic change of the physical shape of the stimulus

What is errorless learning?

An instructional method that minimizes any learner error

What are the 4 different types of response prompts?

* most to least: which is beginning with a prompt known to evoke the behavior and gradually go to least intrusive
* least to most: when you begin with the least restrictive method and gradually increase until you get the correct answer
* graduated guidance: using the minimum amount of physical prompting and gradually fading out the physical prompt
* delayed prompting: inserting time delays between the SD and the prompt in order to gradually fade out the prompt

What is rate?

Also known as frequency. This is the number of times that the child engages in the target behavior

What is inter-response time?

The time between two responses

What is latency?

The time between the SD and the target behavior

What are the time sampling methods?

* Whole Time Sampling: The kid has to emit the behavior the entire interval to count it
* Momentary Time Sampling: the kid has to emit the behavior in the last second of the interval to count it
* Partial Time Sampling: the kid can emit the behavior once or more and it will only count in the trial