Emilia KniznerWestern Michigan University10/24/10

Principles of Behavior (P.O.B.) Terms:What they mean to you At K.A.C.

P.O.B. Terms at K.A.C.Why?

We (supervisors) tend to use P.O.B. terms frequently without making sure everyone understands what we are saying.

You may be familiar with the P.O.B. terms as they apply to the skinner box but we want you to understand how the terms apply to you at the K.A.C.

If you already understand all of the terms, then this is a great review- Practice makes perfect.

Reinforcer

Any stimulus, event, or condition whose presentation immediately follows a

response and increases the frequency of the response

ReinforcerAt K.A.C.

Tangibles- dolls, play-doh, DVD, trains, animals, pencils

Edibles- cookies, cake, fruit snacks, chips, m&m’s

Social- Hugs, tickles, “good”

ReinforcerAt K.A.C.

Important Things To Remember

No Descriptive Praise- If you are giving social praise to a non-verbal child, it is best to keep it to “good”.

Ex: “Good job putting your shoes on”

Ex: “Good job matching same”

Ex: “Good Job tracing line”

Reinforcer At K.A.C.

What may be aversive to you, could be functioning as a reinforcer for your child.

Ex: Negative attention such as yelling, saying no!, mean nasty looks

No attention throw something attention

Reinforcers can change often. It is important to make sure that the reinforcer you are using is still functioning as a reinfocer.

Aversive Condition

Any stimulus, event, or condition whose presentation immediately

following a response decreases the frequency of that response

Aversive ConditionAt K.A.C.

Procedure trialsEating lunch/snack Using the bathroomOver CorrectionPrompting (partial/full physical)Other children

Some of these things may not seem like they would be aversive. We may even think they are reinforcing. But it is important to remember that every child is different and what may function as a reinforcer for one child, could be extremely aversive to another.

Reinforcement-K.A.C.

No chipsPut bag in

lockerChips

In booth Trace Line Not in booth

Reinforcement

Escape

Punishment- K.A.C.

No “NO” Scream “NO”

Bob DVD Scream No Bob DVD

Punishment

Penalty

Extinction

Result that occurs when the reinforcement or escape contingency for a previously

reinforced response is stopped, causing the response frequency to decrease

Extinction- Skinner Box

Reinforcement

No Water

No Water

Press Lever

Water

No WaterPress Lever

Extinction

Extinction- K.A.C.

No Attentio

n

Throw cup

Attention

No Attentio

n

Throw Cup

No Attention

Reinforcement

Extinction

Prompt- K.A.C.A supplemental stimulus that raises the

probability of a correct response.

Type of Prompts: verbal, gestural, partial/full physical, visual, positional

SD- Discriminative Stimulus

A stimulus in the presence of which a particular response will be reinforced or

punished.

SD-Discriminative StimulusSkinner Box

Before

No Water

SD

Light OnAfter

Water

Sdelta

Light Off

Behavior

Press LeverAfter

No Water

SD- Discriminative StimulusK.A.C.

SD

“Touch Cup” After

Play-Doh

Behavior

Touch Cup

Before

No Play-Doh

Sdelta

“Touch Ball”

After

No Play-Doh

Sick Social CycleVictims Punishment Model

The perpetrator’s aversive behavior punishes the victim’s appropriate behavior.

And the victim’s stopping the appropriate behavior unintentionally reinforces that aversive behavior.

Sick Social CycleVictims Punishment Model

2 Contingencies

No aversive Cry

CryDemand

Given

Aversive Cry

Give Demand

No Demand Given

Tutor: Punishment Contingency

Child: Escape Contingency

Sick Social CycleVictims Punishment Model

Tutor: Hears aversive

disruption

Child: Tantrum

Tutor: Gives Demand

Child: Hears aversive demand

Tutor: Allow child to escape

demand

Child: Doesn’t hear aversive

request

Tutor: Doesn’t hear aversive

tantrum

Child: Does not disrupt

Behavior Trap

The process of adding a reinforcement contingency to increase the rate of behavior.

Then the behavior will frequently contact built-in reinforcement contingencies, and

those built-in contingencies will maintain that behavior

Behavior TrapAt K.A.C.- Structured Play

Typical play may not be reinforcing for children with Autism. Often they don’t play with toys the way they were intended.

Ex: Toy Car- put next to face and spin wheels

We can use the behavior trap to get these kids playing appropriately with the toys at K.A.C.

No M&MPush car up rampM&M

No ticklesput food in microwavetickles

Deprivation/Satiation Deprivation:

Withholding a reinforcer to increase relevant learning and performance.

Satiation: Consuming a substantial amount of a reinforcer temporarily decreases relevant learning and performance.

These two principles explain why we:

Keep the time with the reinforcer short

Give tiny portions of edible reinforcers

Superstitious Behavior

Behaving as if the response causes some specific

outcome, when it really does not.

Superstitious BehaviorK.A.C. CHILDREN

Unprompted Eye Contact- Tutor would close DVD and wait for eye contact. The child makes eye contact and says “Hija” at same time. Tutor reinforces eye contact. Child begins to say “Hija” frequently.

K.A.C. TUTOR

At Lunch- Child won’t eat food. The tutor starts talking to the child trying to comfort “ohh…it’s ok”, “It’s almost over”. The child takes a bite of food. The tutor begins to comfort child more frequently.

Rule to Live By

REINFORCE BEHAVIORNOT

PEOPLE

Don’t Say: I reinforced Suzy with the Play-Doh

Do Say: I reinforced Suzy’s imitation behavior with Play-Doh

Rule to Live ByDon’t Say Rule

With any nonverbal organismsDon’t Say:

ExpectsKnowsThinks

Figures outIn order to

Tries ToMakes the connection

AssociatesLearns that

ImaginesUnderstands

With Any OrganismsDon’t Say:

Wants

THANK YOUQuestions? Comments?