Quiz #5 Shaping and Chaining

Shaping

The differential reinforcement of sequential, successive approximations of a target behavior until that new behavior is reliably presented.

• Ex. - language learning, computer skills, math, musical instruments, machinery, driving, etc.

Reinstate a previously exhibited behavior, changing some aspect of an already existing behavior, and changing frequency/intensity of an existing behavior.

What are the different ways shaping is used?

Reinstate a previously exhibited behavior.

What variation of shaping does this example represent?

• Ex. – elderly woman declined PT after hip replacement surgery (wouldn’t walk).

  • Target behavior – walking again independently.

  • Starting behavior – being comfortable in the PT room.

• The Sequence:

  • Warm greeting in PT room, followed by massage treatment (repeated several days).

  • Then required to stand for 1 to 2 seconds between parallel bars before she could get the massage therapy.

  • Standing between parallel bars increased to 15 seconds the next day.

  • Incremental increase continued till the patient could reliably and easily stand between the parallel bars.

  • Patient asked to take a few steps using the bars for support.

  • Steps were subsequently, incrementally increased.

  • Patient transferred to a walker then successfully discharged, and returning for regular PT.

Changing some aspects of an already existing behavior.

What variation of shaping does this example represent?

• Ex. – MS patient engages in excessively frequent bathroom breaks/visits.

  • Was leaving therapy, going to the bathroom several times an hour, due to fear of recurring incontinence.

  • Target behavior – minimum of 2 hours between bathroom visits.

  • Starting behavior – 1 hour between visits.

• The approximation intervals (A few days at each approximation):

  • 60 minutes (starting behavior).

  • 1 hour 10 mins (70 minutes).

  • 90 minutes.

  • 105 minutes.

  • 180 minutes (which was the target behavior).

Changing frequency/intensity of an existing behavior.

What variation of shaping does this example represent?

• 16-year-old girl with mild intellectual disability. Communicates using inaudible speech and is socially withdrawn.

  • Target behavior – normal speech volume (50-60 decibels).

  • Starting behavior – audible speech (a whisper or 30 decibels).

• The sequence involved reinforcement each time a sustained, measurable increase was exhibited.

Phobias and stepwise tasks.

What does shaping/successive approximations work extremely well for?

Tasks with too many detailed and complex components.

What doe shaping not work well for?

Important factors or steps in shaping.

• Establish clear target behavior and starting point.

• Fading or reinforcing successive step while extinguishing previous steps.

• Balance between enough, not enough, or too many.

• Contingency and continuity between steps.

• Continuous and flexible deciding on successive steps.

• Keep moving…sufficiently reinforce each step and then move on.

Chaining

Shaping is exclusively about the goal; while this concept places importance on each of the steps, even when they don’t look at all like the target behavior.

Chaining steps are never extinguished, the steps and goals are one continuous, contiguous unit.

How does changing differ from shaping?

Stimulus-response and behavioral chains.

what are the two main categories of behaviors in chaining?

Stimulus-Response Chainging

A series of responses that each trigger the next stimulus in the sequence: that is stimulus 1 (S1) leads to response 1 (R1), which leads to S2, which leads to R2, which leads to S3, and so on.

Behavioral Chains

A set of complex behaviors with multiple components that occur in a sequence.

Task Analysis

What is the first step in chaining?

Task Analysis

The process of breaking down a behavioral chain into its individual stimulus-response components.

Different ways to do this:

• Ask an expert.

• Watch an expert engage in the task.

• Perform the task yourself and record each of the steps.

• Important point - chaining is not functionally possible without proper analysis.

Forward, backward, and total task presentation.

What are the 3 types of chaining?

Forward Chaining

Start with the first step in the sequence and work forward toward the natural end.

Backword Chaining

Go through the full sequence, then repeat the sequence stopping at the last step, which the subject does alone.

• Repeat, stoping at the next-to-last step, and then the third-to-last step, and so on.

• Prompting and fading are critical to teaching a behavior chain.

Prompting

Guiding the person through the desired behavior.

Verbal, gestural, modeling, and physical

What are the 4 types of promoting?

Verbal

Verbal guidance through the steps of the behavior.

Gestural

Therapists make gestures for the steps of the behavior.

Modeling

Therapist performing the steps of the behavior and the patient watching.

Physical

Physically guiding the patient through the steps of the behavior.

Fading

The gradual elimination of the prompt as the behavior continues to strengthen.

Total Task Presentation

When the chain of behaviors is taught as a single unit.

• Ex. – teaching a baseball, golf, or tennis swing by demonstrating the entire swing, as a single motion from beginning to end.

• When to use this type of chaining:

  • When the task in not too long or complex.

  • The connection between the steps is easily recognizable.

  • The learner’s cognitive ability is sufficient.

  • When the teacher skills are sufficient.