Behavior Modification Exam 1

1. involves an individual’s actions not labels

2. involves measurable dimensions

3. can be observed, described, and recorded

4. has an impact on the environment (physical or social)

5. behavior is lawful

6. may overt or covert

what are the characteristics of behavior

* frequency
* duration
* intensity
* latency

what are the measurable dimensions of behavior

latency

how long it takes for behavior to occur

smiling, frowning, crying

what are some examples of overt behavior

happy, sad, mad, frustrated

what are some examples of covert behavior

considered in terms of behavioral deficits or excesses

how should behavior problems be considered

1. target behavior (deficits/excesses)
2. controlling variable
3. behaviorism

what are the three things that need to be identified in order to measure behavior change

* effective teaching of basic skills
* can decrease some problem behaviors

how can behavior modification be used in parenting & child management

* for attention problems, tantrums, speaking out of turn/disruptions
* positive behavior support system
* modify material and how it is delivered to enhance learning

how can behavior modification be used in education

* social, personal care, communication, vocation skills

how can behavior modification be used for those with intellectual disabilities

* can increase social and language skills

how can behavior modification be used for those with childhood autism

discrete trials

cue/instructions, child responds to feedback

incidental training

child takes the lead

* successful self-modification requires a set of skills that can be learned
* skills involve ways of rearranging your environment to control your behavior

how can behavior modification be used for self-management of personal problems

1. direct treatment of medical problems
2. establishing treatment compliance
3. promotion of healthy living
4. management of caregivers
5. stress management

how can behavior modification be used for be used for behavioral medicine and health psychologists

* increase individual’s personal control-directly engage with individuals
* focus on antecedents vs. consequences

how can behavior modification be used for behavioral community psychology

enhance worker production through worker satisfaction

how can behavior modification be used in business, industry, and government

1. measure the dependent variable (target behavior)
2. manipulate the independent variable and demonstrate a change in the target behavior
3. replicate

what is the research method in behavior modification

behavioral analysis

collection and analysis of information and data in order to

* identify and describe target behaviors
* identify possible causes of the behavior
* guide the selection of an appropriate behavioral treatment
* evaluate treatment outcome

* decide if a problem exists? is treatment necessary?
* decide on best treatment
* measure treatment effects
* as a treatment component

what are the purposes of behavioral assessment in behavior modification

reactivity

how an individual responds to treatment and who is assessing their behavior

* indirect assessment
* direct assessment

what are the two types of behavioral assessment

indirect assessment

* interviews
* questionnaires
* rating scales
* product measures

direct assessment

direct observation and recording of the target behavior as it occurs

1. define target behavior
2. identify who, when, and where to record - the logistics of recording
3. chose a recording method (what to record)
4. choose a recording instrument (how to record)
5. consider reactivity of recording
6. interobserver agreement assessment

what are the steps of recording behavior

* antecedents
* behavior
* consequences

observational assessment focuses on

participant observer

teacher, coach, peer

non participant observer

behavior analysist, school counselor, psychologists

observation video

still direct assessment, less likely of bias, most accurate

analogue settings

bringing individuals into a clinic and recreating a similar setting

structured observations

more specific, follows specific methodology

unstructured observations

initially used to just collect data

continuous recording

writing everything down, when behavior occurs

percentage of opportunities

how many times did behavior occur compared to the opportunities where the behavior could occur

* response definition too vague or unclear
* observational situation makes observations

where can sources of error come from

interobserver reliability

agreement between observations of two or more independent observers

* wait until the person being observed becomes accustomed to the observer or to self-monitoring
* record surreptitiously through observations window or with participant observers

how do you minimize reactivity

* change in behavior in B phase (Manipulating independent variable)
* replication

how can a A-B design demonstrate a functional relationship

time sampling

1 hour window, but only observe for 15 second time period in the hour

momentary time sampling

1 hour window, but exactly on the hour record if behavior is occurring at that moment

partial interval recording

1 hour window, 10 minute observation period, does behavior occur at all during 10 minute period

whole interval recording

1 hour window, 10 minute observation period- does behavior occur during the entire 10 minute period

* screening phase
* baseline phase
* treatment phase
* follow-up phase

what are the phases of the behavior modification program

screening phase

clarifying the problem and determining who should treat it

baseline phase

determining the initial level of the behavior

treatment phase

intervention strategy is limited

follow-up phase

evaluating the persistence of desirable behavioral changes after the termination of the program

* evaluate the effectiveness of treatment
* demonstrate a functional relationship between environmental events and behavior

what are the purposes of research in behavior modification

can test multiple treatments in a much shorter period of time

what is an advantage of alternating treatments design

AB-AB research designs

baseline is followed by treatment, return to baseline, and then treatment again

* how long should the baseline phase last
* how many reversals and replications are necessary

What are the considerations of the AB-AB research design

* withdrawal of treatment may not lead to return to baseline
* withdrawal may be undesirable or unethical

what are the limitations of the AB-AB research desgin

multiple baseline designs

conduct more than one AB design concurrently, only compare the subject to themselves

multiple baseline across subjects

two or more subjects with the same target behavior, applying the same treatment; staggered

multiple baseline across behaviors

two or more behaviors of the same subject; staggered

multiple baseline across settings

different settings where same target behavior occurs

changing-criterion design

change over time the criterion for success, look for relationship between criteria changes and behavior change

operant behavior

behavior that has some impact on the environment

reinforcement

stimulus or event that increases the likelihood of the behavior that led to it

positive reinforcer

is an event that, when presented immediately following a behavior, causes the behavior to increase in frequency

negative reinforcement

behavior is followed by the removal of a stimulus and the behavior is strengthened

escape behaviors

the behavior results in the termination of (escape from) the aversive stimulus and behavior is strengthened

avoidance behaviors

the behavior results in the prevention of (avoidance of) the aversive stimulus and the behavior is strengthened

unconditioned reinforcers

biologically determined, have intrinsic/innate value

conditioned reinforcers

a previously neutral stimulus, repeatedly paired with an established reinforcer

* more immediate the the backup
* can bridge delay between behavior and more powerful reinforcers

what are the main advantages of conditioned reinforcers

conditioned generalized reinforcers

paired with a wide variety of other reinforcers.

money, praise, tokens

* immediacy
* consistency (contingency)
* motivating operations
* individual differences
* intensity of the stimulus
* concurrent schedule of reinforcement or punishment

what are the factors that influence reinforcement

motivating operations

temporarily alter the effectiveness of a reinforcer, alter the frequency of behavior reinforced by that reinforcer

establishing operation

an antecedent event that makes a reinforcer more potent

abolishing operation

an antecedent event that makes a reinforcer less potent

* consumable
* activity
* manipulative
* possessional
* social

what are the types of different positive reinforcers

premack principle

preferred behaviors can be used to reinforce unpreferred behaviors

fixed ratio

a constant number of responses

variable ratio

X number of responses (on average), near constant responding, unpredictable

fixed interval

the first behavior/response after constant time intervals, more predictable, reduced response rate

variable interval

X amount of time (on average), independent of the production of the behavior, lowest response rate

* schedule of reinforcement
* magnitude of reinforcement
* immediacy of reinforcement
* response effort

what factors influence choice of concurrent operants

Herrnstein’s matching law

behavior is concurrent with reinforcement that is received

extinction

* a previously reinforced behavior
* is no longer followed by the reinforcing consequence
* the behavior is weakened

extinction of positively reinforced behavior

the positive reinforcer is no longer delivered

extinction of negatively reinforced behavior

the aversive stimulus is no longer removed

function of behavior

* sensory
* escape
* attention
* tangible

1. increase in frequency, duration, or intensity of the unreinforced behavior
2. occurrence of novel behaviors
3. occurrence of emotional and/or aggressive behaviors

what three things may happen initially during an extinction burst

1. the schedule of reinforcement prior to extinction
2. the occurrence of reinforcement following the initiation of extinction
3. reinforcement of functionally-equivalent behaviors

what are the factors influence extinction

spontaneous recovery

the behavior occurs again sometime later after it was eliminated with extinction

• reinforcer remains effective longer

• tends to take longer to extinguish

• individuals work more

• behavior that has been reinforced intermittently is more likely to persist

what are the advantages of intermittent reinforcement in behavior modification

• continuous monitoring of behavior

• not directly related to behavior

• long post-reinforcement pause in fixed interval

• low rates of responding in variable interval

why are interval schedules not used in behavior modification

ratio schedules directly reliant on production of behavior

why are ratio schedules preferred in behavior modification

limited hold with interval schedules

short interval following a longer interval where if behavior occurs, behavior is reinforced

punishment

• the occurrence of a behavior

• is followed immediately by a consequence

• the behavior is less likely in the future

positive punishment

behavior → apply/give aversive stimulus → decrease behavior

negative punishment

behavior → remove positive stimulus → decrease behavior

unconditioned punishers

events that have biological importance, punishers that require no conditioning to be effective

conditioned punishers

neutral stimulus paired with an established punisher, becomes a punisher

• immediacy

• contingency

• motivating operations

• intensity

• individual differences

• concurrent schedule of reinforcement or punishment

what factors influence punishment

• emotional reactions to punishment

• negative reinforcement for the use of punishment

• punishment and modeling

• ethical issues

what are some potential problems with punishment

• punishment should be immediate

• use sparingly-only when necessary

what is the behavior modification view of punishment

identify exactly what the person says or does that constitutes the behavioral excess or deficit targeted for change

how do you determine a target behavior

real-time recording

the exact time and each onset and offset of the target behavior is recorded