Chapter 19: Book Notes

Promoting Generalization

What does considering generalization do?

Programming for generalization increases the likelihood that the behavior change will occur for all relevant situations in the person’s life

• Generalization: When a learned behavior occurs in different situations, with different people, or in different settings

Generalization

The occurence of the behavior in the presence of stimuli similar to the SD present during training

• When a behavior occurs in the presence of stimuli similar to the original SD (discriminative stimulus) used during training

What is one way to promote generalization?

One way to promote generalization is to reinforce the behavior when it occurs outside the training situation, when relevant stimuli are present

• All related stimuli develop stimulus control over the behavior

What are the strategies for promoting generalization of behavior change?

The strategies for promoting generalization of behavior change include:

• Reinforcing instances of generalization

• Training skills that naturally rewarded in everyday life

• Modifying reinforcement and punishment in the natural environment

• Using a wide range of relevant stimulus is training

• Using a common stimulus

• Teaching functionally equivalent responses

• Providing cues in the natural environment

• Teaching someone to use their own cues to apply a learned behavior in a new situation

How can using natural contingencies of reinforcement be used for generalization?

Natural contingencies of reinforcement can be used for generalization, when natural reinforcers are present

• Teach skills that will naturally be rewarded in everyday life, so the behavior continues outside training

• Ex. Teaching some one to ask for help, so people help them when they ask

How can modifying contingencies of reinforcement and punishment in the natural environment be used for reinforcement?

Modifying contingencies of reinforcement and punishment in the natural environment can be used:

• If the trainer cannot reward the behavior outside training, they should teach other people to reward it

• Ex. Encourage others to reward good behavior

How can you promote generalization by eliminating punishment that would stop the desirable behavior outside the training situation?

Can promote generalization by eliminating punishment

• Make sure the desired behavior is not punished in other settings, so the person continues doing it

Hoe can generalization be promoted with stimulus situations and response variations during training?

Generalization can be promoted with stimulus situations and response variations during training:

• A variety of stimulus situations in training can be incorporated

• Common stimuli can be incorporated

• Functionally equivalent responses can be taught

• Cues in the natural environment can be provided

• Can use self guided generalization

How can a variety of relevant stimulus be incorporated in training?

A varitety of relevant stimuli can be incorporated in training

• If the learner is trained to respond correctly to a range of relevant stimulus situations, the behavior is more likely to generalize across all relevant stimulus situations

• Ex. When teaching abduction-prevention skills, using a variety of abduction lures in the training procedure, to generalize it to an actual situation

General Case programming

Generalization strategy where multiple training examples are used to show the range of stimulus situations and response variations

• Teaching a skill using multiple examples and situations so the person can apply it in different settings.

  Ex. Teaching someone to use several different washing machines so they can operate different machines independently

How can common stimuli be incorporated for generalization?

Common stimuli can be incorporated from the generalization environment (target situation) into the training situation

• If training and actual situation have the same features or stimuli, generalization is more likely to occur

How can teaching a range of functionally equivalent responses promote generalization?

Teaching a range of functionally equivalent responses can promote generalization

• Ex. Teaching someone a variety of responses to operate a machine, so that they would be able to use a wide variety of machines after training

How can providing cues in the natural environment promote generalization?

Providing cues in the natural environment promotes generalization and makes the target behavior more likely to occur in the correct circumstances

• Hopes that cue will evoke the behavior

• Ex. Using signs for generalization to wash hands or a pager that vibrates

How can incorporating self-generated mediators of generalization promote generalization?

The mediator has stimulus control over the target behavior, so behavior generalizes beyond training when mediator is present

• Mediator signs that the behavioral should occur and so the behavior occurs in new situations whhen the mediator is present

• Ex. Teacher trains a student to ask for help and the student asks for help, when teacher is present, even in different classrooms

What are two examples of self-generated mediators of generalization?

Two examples of self-generated mediators of generalization are:

• Self Recording: A person observes and records their own behavior to increase awareness and help change their behavior

• Self Instruction: A person gives themselves verbal instructions or cues to guide their behavior

What are the guidelines you should follow when implementing strategies to promote generalization?

The guidelines you should follow when implementing strategies to promote generalization are:

1. Identify the target stimulus situations (when and where you want behavior to occur)

2. Identify natural places where behavior is reinforced

3. Implementing appropriate strategies to promote generalization

4. Measure the generalization of behavior change to determine whether your efforts have been successful

What should the outcome of treatment for the problem behavior be?

The outcome of treatment for problem behaviors should be an improvement in the client’s function

• Decrease or elimination of the problem behavior, as well as the development and maintainence of new skills

What guidelines should be followed to achieve a generalized reduction in problem behaviors?

To achieve a generalized reduction in problem behaviors you have to:

1. Conduct a functional assessment of the problem behavior

2. Plan for generalization in advance

3. Focus on functionally equivalent alternative behaviors to replace the problem behavior

4. Maintain extinction and punishment across situations and over time

How is generalization impacted by the environment?

Behaviors will generalize if they are naturally reinforced in an environment where the person uses it

• Ex. A student learns to raise their hand during training and receives praise. In the classroom, the teacher naturally responds to raised hands, so the behavior generalizes and continues

What is the relationship between the stimuli used in training and the stimuli in the target situation?

The stimuli used in training should be similar to the stimuli in the target situation

• So that stimuli has stimulus control over the target behavior in the target situation

What happens when a variety of responses produces a reinforcing outcome in target situation?

If a variety of responses leads to a reinforcing outcome, the behavior is more likely to generalize