Understanding Stimulus Control and Behavior Modification - Chapters 7,9,10 & 11

Antecedent Stimulus

A trigger that happens before a behavior and effects whether it will get reinforced.

Situation-Specific Reinforcement

Reinforcement given only in certain situations, making the behavior stronger when those situations occur.

Stimulus Control

When a behavior is more likely to happen in the presence of a specific cue because of past reinforcement

SD (Discriminative Stimulus)

A signal that tells you reinforcement is available for a behavior.

SΔ (S-delta)

A signal that reinforcement won't happen for a behavior

Stimulus Discrimination Training

Reinforcing behavior in presence of SD only.

Three-Term Contingency

Antecedent, behavior, consequence relationship.

Stimulus Generalization

When a behavior happens with things that are similar to the original cue.

Stimulus Class

Group of stimuli evoking the same response.

Conditional Discrimination

Discrimination outcome depends on another stimulus.

Stimulus Equivalence

Different stimuli perceived as equivalent.

Symmetry in Equivalence

Matching A to B implies matching B to A.

Transitivity in Equivalence

Learning A=B and B=C implies A=C.

Successive Approximations

Small steps resembling the final target behavior.

Differential Reinforcement

Reinforcing only specific behaviors among variations.

Extinction in Shaping

Stops reinforcement of previously reinforced behaviors.

Conditioned Reinforcer

Stimulus that gains value through association with primary reinforcers.

Prompt

Stimulus to increase likelihood of correct behavior performance.

Response Prompt

Assistance from another's behavior to elicit correct response.

Verbal Prompt

Using spoken instructions to guide behavior.

Gestural Prompt

Using gestures to indicate the correct behavior.

Modeling Prompt

Demonstrating desired behavior for imitation.

Physical Prompt

Physically guiding the learner to perform behavior.

Within-Stimulus Prompt

Changing characteristics of the SD for clarity.

Extrastimulus Prompt

Adding a stimulus to the SD to aid response.

Least-to-Most Prompting

Starting with minimal prompts, increasing as needed.

Most-to-Least Prompting

Beginning with maximum assistance, decreasing over time.

Fading of Response Prompts

Slowly reducing help until the behavior is done on its own.

Fading with Least-to-Most Prompting

Increasing prompt intensity if learner does not respond.

Fading with Most-to-Least Prompting

Decreasing assistance as learner gains proficiency.

Fading of Stimulus Prompts

Gradually reducing the prominence of prompts.

Constant Prompt Delay

Fixed wait time before giving a prompt.

Progressive Prompt Delay

Increasing wait time before providing a prompt.

Discrimination Training

Teaching when to use specific behaviors based on stimuli.

Topography of Behavior

Physical form or shape of a behavior.

Behavior Modification

Systematic approach to changing behavior patterns.

Prompt Delay Procedure

Strategy to enhance learning through timed prompts.

Stimulus Prompts

Cues added to enhance learning through highlighting.

Fading

Gradual reduction of prompts as skills improve.

Echoic

Verbal behavior repeating another's spoken words.

Tact

Naming or labeling objects in the environment.

Mand

Requesting something based on a need.

Intraverbal

Responding verbally to another person's speech.

Stimulus-Response Chain

Sequence where each behavior cues the next.

Task Analysis

Breaking down complex tasks into smaller steps.

Backward Chaining

Teaching last step first, then preceding steps.

Forward Chaining

Teaching first step first, then subsequent steps.

Total Task Presentation

Teaching entire task at once, not stepwise.

Graduated Guidance

Reducing physical assistance as independence grows.

Written Task Analysis

Step-by-step written instructions for task completion.

Chaining Procedure

Method for teaching tasks broken into steps.

Prompting

Providing cues to assist in task performance.

Behavior Chain

Linked behaviors where one triggers another.

Differential Reinforcement and Shaping

In shaping, differential reinforcement involves reinforcing behaviors that are closer to the target behavior while withholding reinforcement for earlier approximations.

Generalization vs. Discrimination

Generalization occurs when a behavior occurs in response to stimuli similar to the SD. Discrimination occurs when a behavior occurs only in response to the SD and not similar stimuli.

Prompting and Fading

Prompt cues given to encourage a correct response. Fading is the gradual removal of prompts as the behavior becomes more reliable in response to the SD.

Shaping

Gradually reinforcing small steps that lead to the final behavior

How does extinction play a role in shaping?

Extinction plays a role in shaping by no longer reinforcing earlier behavior once a closer step to the target behavior is reached.

Stimulus generalization graph

A graph that shows a behavior spreads to similar cues, with the response getting weaker as the cues become less like the original one (SD).

Stimulus discrimination graph

A graph that shows a behavior happens more with a specific cue (SD) and less with others (SΔ), showing a clear distinction between the stimuli.

Applications of Shaping

Animal Training, Spelling, Voice Elevations, Teaching Self Care

Prompt fading

Behavioral Chain

Stimulus-response chain