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🚦 Class 10 – Stimulus Discrimination & Generalization

Stimulus Control

  • Behavior is influenced by antecedents (what happens before).

    • SD (Discriminative Stimulus): behavior → reinforced

    • SΔ (S-delta): behavior → not reinforced
      Example: Phone rings (SD) → answer → someone replies. Silent phone (SΔ) → no response.*

Stimulus Discrimination

  • Learning to respond only in presence of the correct stimulus.
    Example: Stop at red light, go at green.*

→ Goal: Tight stimulus control — behavior happens only under correct conditions.

Stimulus Generalization

  • Behavior that was reinforced in one situation occurs in similar situations.
    Example: Child calls all four-wheeled vehicles “car.”*

Faulty Discrimination

  • Behavior occurs under wrong cue (e.g., answering personal calls at work).

Discrimination vs. Generalization

Discrimination

Generalization

Responds to specific cue only

Responds to similar cues too

Tight stimulus control

Loose stimulus control

Example: Go on green

Example: Saying “car” for all vehicles

🔗 Class 11 – Chaining

Definition

  • Chaining = Teaching a sequence of behaviors where each response produces the next cue (SD), and the final response leads to reinforcement.
    Example: Tying shoes, brushing teeth, making coffee.*

Purpose

  • To teach complex, multi-step behaviors that must occur in a set order.

How It Works

Each step:

1.      Acts as a reinforcer for the previous response

2.      Acts as an SD for the next response

Chaining Methods

Method

Description

When to Use

Forward Chaining

Teach first step → add next → build full chain

Common; shows progress early

Backward Chaining

Teach last step first → move backward

Best for motivation (ends with natural reinforcer)

Total Task

Practice all steps each time with help as needed

Good for learners with higher skill levels

Why Use Forward/Backward Chaining

  • Forward: Learner sees progress and independence early.

  • Backward: Immediate success → powerful reinforcement.

Task Analysis

  • Break the skill into clear, teachable steps.

  • Ensure each step links naturally to the next.

  • Use modeling, prompts, and reinforcement to teach.

Common Pitfalls

  • Adventitious chaining: Adding extra, unnecessary behaviors to the chain (e.g., “tapping pencil before starting homework”).

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