Topic 10: Prompting & Transfer of Stimulus Control

Question 1

Prompts

Answer 1

a prompt is used to increase the likelihood that a person will engage in the correct behavior at the correct time

a prompt may involve the behavior of the trainer (response prompts) or supplemental environmental stimuli (stimulus prompts)

Question 2

Verbal Prompt

Answer 2

a type of prompt in which the verbal behavior of another person results in the correct behavior of the trainee in the presence of the discriminative stimulus

Question 3

Modeling Prompt

Answer 3

a type of prompt in which the trainer demonstrates the target behavior for the learner

modelling works best in conjunction with instructions, in situations in which the learner has an opportunity to rehearse the behavior immediately in a role-play

Question 4

Physical Prompt

Answer 4

a type of prompt in which the trainer physically assists the learner to engage in the correct behavior at the correct time

most often involves hand-over-hand guidance of the behavior

Question 5

Fading

Answer 5

the gradual removal of prompts as the behavior continues to occur in the presence of the discriminative stimulus

Question 6

Response Prompts

Answer 6

a type of prompt in which the trainer engages in a behavior to induce the client to engage in the target behavior in the presence of the discriminative stimulus

includes verbal prompts, gestural prompts, modeling prompts, and physical prompts

Question 7

Stimulus Prompts

Answer 7

some change in an antecedent stimulus or the addition or removal of an antecedent stimulus, with the goal of making a correct response more likely

Question 8

Physical Guidance

Answer 8

another term for physical prompting

Question 9

Within-Stimulus Prompt

Answer 9

a type of stimulus prompt in which some aspect of the discriminative stimulus or S^D is changed to help a person make a correct discrimination

Question 10

Extra-stimulus Prompt

Answer 10

a type of stimulus prompt in which a stimulus is added to help a person make a correct discrimination

Question 11

Transfer of Stimulus Control

Answer 11

a process in which prompts are removed once the target behavior is occurring in the presence of the discriminative stimulus (S^D)

prompt fading and prompt delay are procedures used to transfer stimulus control from the prompt to the S^D

Question 12

Prompt Fading

Answer 12

the response prompt is eliminated gradually as the behavior occurs in the presence of the S^D

Question 13

Prompt Delay

Answer 13

in this procedure, the trainer presents the discriminative stimulus (S^D) and then, after a specific interval of time, presents the prompt, the delay between the presentation of the S^D and the presentation of the prompt means that as training progresses, the person may make the response before the prompt is given

Question 14

Stimulus Control

Answer 14

the gradual elimination of a stimulus prompt as the behavior continues to occur in the presence of the discriminative stimulus

Question 15

What are the guidelines for prompting and transferring stimulus control?

Answer 15

1. choose the most appropriate prompting strategy
2. get the learner’s attention
3. present the S^D
4. prompt the correct response
5. reinforce the correct behavior
6. transfer stimulus control by fading or prompt delay
7. continue to reinforce unpromopted responses

Question 16

Learning Trial

Answer 16

the sequence of presenting the S^D, prompting the response, and providing a reinforcer is called a learning trial

Question 17

What is prompting?

Answer 17

giving stimuli before (or during) performance of a behavior to increase the likelihood that a person will engage in the target behavior at the correct time

prompts supplement the normal S^D or modify it to make it more salient (or make the S-delta less salient)

Question 18

What are response prompts?

Answer 18

behavior of another person that evokes the target behavior from the target person when the S^D is also present

prompts may vary in intrusiveness

Question 19

What are verbal prompts?

Answer 19

hints, instructions, commands, or other spoken words used to guide or direct behavior

e.g. telling a child “scoop some food”

Question 20

What are gestural prompts?

Answer 20

physical movements that indicate how, where, or what behavior to perform

e.g. parent pointing to food and child’s mouth

Question 21

What are modelling prompts?

Answer 21

demonstration of the entire target behavior by another person

e.g. parent uses spoon to scoop and eat some food

Question 22

What are physical guidance prompts?

Answer 22

another person physically assists in the execution of the target behavior

e.g. grasping a child’s hand to help her put a spoonful of food to her mouth

Question 23

What is three-step prompting?

Answer 23

use prompts progressively, starting with verbal, then modeling, and finally physical guidance prompts

Question 24

What are stimulus prompts?

Answer 24

S^D is changed (within-stimulus), or stimulus is added (extra-stimulus) or removed, to encourage the target behavior

Question 25

What are within-stimulus prompts?

Answer 25

involves changing the S^D in some way (change location of the S^D or change some dimension of the S^D, such as size, shape, color, or intensity)

Question 26

What are extra-stimulus prompts?

Answer 26

involves adding a stimulus to the S^D

Question 27

What are picture prompts?

Answer 27

drawings or photos

e.g. symbols on computer keys

Question 28

What are auditory prompts?

Answer 28

sounds (other than words)

auditory alarm that detect first drops of urine used to help children with severe developmental disability learn toileting behaviors

Question 29

What are environmental prompts?

Answer 29

alteration or additions to the physical surroundings in which the S^D is presented

e.g. changing the seating arrangement in a classroom

Question 30

What is the transfer of stimulus control?

Answer 30

prompts are faded, reduced, or eliminated so that target behavior occurs to the normal S^D alone

behavior continues to be reinforced

Question 31

What is fading?

Answer 31

gradual elimination of prompting so that eventually it is no longer needed

stimulus control is transferred from prompts to the S^D

Question 32

What is response prompt fading?

Answer 32

response prompt is gradually lessened

includes fading within prompt and fading across prompts

Question 33

What is fading within prompt?

Answer 33

same prompt is used, but is decreased in magnitude

Question 34

What is fading across prompts?

Answer 34

prompt is changed, according to a prompting hierarchy

includes most-to-least and least-to-most prompting and fading

Question 35

What is most-to-least prompting and fading?

Answer 35

a.k.a. decreased assistance

prompts change from more intrusive to less intrusive

physical guidance –> modeling –> gestural –> verbal

start with most intrusive prompt

when target behavior occurs reliably, move to next less intrusive prompt in the next session

used when initially teaching a skill and person likely needs physical guidance prompt

Question 36

What is least-to-most prompting and fading?

Answer 36

a.k.a. increases assistance or system of least prompts

prompts change from less to more intrusive (like in three-step prompting) until behavior is performed

start with least intrusive prompt

provide more intrusive prompts, if required, in the same session

used when person has learned the sill and may not need physical guidance prompt

Question 37

What is graduated guidance?

Answer 37

used in fading physical guidance prompts

teacher provides as much physical guidance as required, and the gradually reduces it

pressure/contact may be reduced

shadowing: teacher’s hand follower learner’s movement without contact

spatial fading: focus of guidance (teacher’s hand contact) changes from fingers to hand, to wrist, to elbow, etc.

Question 38

What is stimulus prompt fading?

Answer 38

also called stimulus fading

stimulus prompt is decreased in magnitude or frequency

Question 39

What is prompt delay?

Answer 39

present S^D, wait a certain number of seconds, and if target behavior does not occur, provide the prompt

time delay may be constant, or progressive (increasing duration of intervals)

typically used only with response prompts

e.g. present flash card with a word on it, wait for person to say the word, if they do not say it in 4 seconds, a verbal prompt is given

Question 40

How do you choose the appropriate prompting strategy?

Answer 40

use prompting only when the person has not learned to perform the target behavior with the normal S^D

or has not learned to perform the behavior in the correct situation

prompting is not appropriate when behavior is not produced due to noncompliance

Question 41

How to you get the learner’s attention?

Answer 41

make S^D more salient, or S-delta less salient

Question 42

How should you prompt the correct response if the S^D does not provoke it?

Answer 42

response prompts are most useful for helping a person learn a specific action or sequence of actions (e.g. tying shoelaces)

stimulus prompts are most useful for helping a person learn to discriminate stimuli

if person has developmental disabilities/limited abilities, more intrusive prompts will be needed

if person can understand verbal prompts, describe reason for the behavior in terms of the natural consequences

Question 43

How do you transfer stimulus control?

Answer 43

size of fading steps should be appropriate

if step is too big, the behavior is incorrect and will not be reinforced

too small, and the person will become dependent on the prompt

solution: promote errorless learning, at each step just enough of the prompt is given so that the person makes no errors when performing the task