Vocabulary (Chapter 9-10) Flashcards
(39 cards)
What is a motivating operation (MO)?
Motivating operations are environmental or biological events that do two things, including temporarily altering the value of a specific reinforcer. These operations increase or decrease the probability of behavior that yields the reinforcer.
Two Types of Motivating Operations (MO)
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- Establishing Operations (EO)
- Abolishing Operations (AO)
Establishing Operations (EO)
Temporarily increase the value of a specific reinforcer and the probability of behavior yielding the reinforcer.
Ex: A person who has not eaten in several hours is more likely to engage in behaviors that get them closer to food. If the person is hungry, they are motivated to work towards gathering food.
Abolishing Operations (AO)
Temporarily decrease the value of a specific reinforcement and decrease the probability of behavior yielding the reinforcer.
Ex: A person who just ate a large meal is less likely to be motivated to eat more food because food is no longer as valuable as before they ate. Decreases the likelihood that they work to get more food as a reinforcer.
What is a reinforcer survey?
Structured interview or written survey that asks the individual to identify highly preferred activities. Reinforcer surveys are a simple, practical way to identify potential reinforcers. These often ask the individual about the different types of tangibles, social, or activity-based rewards.
What is a stimulus preference assessment?
Observational method in which choice or engagement with observed items and a rank-ordered list are generated by observing choices between stimuli. This technique is used when working with nonhuman animals or individuals with limited or no expressive language capabilities.
Purpose of Stimulus Preference Assessments
Identify potential reinforcers (things that could be used to motivate people to engage in desired behavior).
Dimensions of Effective Reinforcers
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Contingency
Reinforcer Size
Reinforcer Quality
Reinforcer Immediacy
Contingency
A reinforcer must be delivered contingent on target behavior. It should be limited or unavailable outside of contingency. Reinforcers are more effective when delivered contingently.
Ex: If I do the laundry > THEN I can watch TV.
Reinforcer Size
The reinforcer’s size or magnitude needs to match the response effect. It should also be appropriate to the difficulty or effort involved in the target behavior.
Ex: If a child completes a complex task like a long assignment might need a large reinforcer. However, a simple task like finishing single worksheets with a smaller reinforcer might be good enough.
Reinforcer Quality
Subjective value of reinforcer. Refers to how desirable or effective a reinforcer increases the likelihood of repeated behavior.
Ex: A child who is very motivated by food will find it to be a high-quality reinforcer, especially if the child is hungry.
High-Quality Reinforcer vs Low Quality Reinforcer
High-Quality Reinforcer (something an individual finds highly rewarding and motivating) whereas a Low-Quality Reinforcer (something less likely to reinforce desired behavior).
Reinforcer Immediacy
Reinforcers are more effective when they are obtained immediately. The reinforcer should be presented immediately after the target behavior occurs.
Ex: To reinforce a child for completing math problems, you should immediately praise or give a reward right after the child finishes the task.
What are habits?
Operant behavior evoked by antecedent stimuli persists despite an AO’s imposition. Behavior or action is performed automatically and repeatedly, even without conscious thought.
How are habits formed?
Habit formation occurs when an operant response is repeatedly reinforced in the presence of the same antecedent stimulus. It primarily involves repetition, reinforcement, and environmental cues.
Five Strategies to Replace Bad Habits with Good Ones
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- Identify antecedent stimuli that evokes bad habits.
- Replace stimuli that evoke bad habits with stimuli that evoke good ones.
- Reinforce desired behavior thousands of times. Reinforce successive approximations of target behavior using shaping.
- Behavior is reinforced and meets the goal of becoming an exerciser.
- Successive approximations arrange self-esteem-building intrinsic reinforcers that can be sampled when engaging in the desired behavior.
What is a punisher?
Contingent consequence that decreases the future likelihood of behavior below its pre-punishment level. Increasing behavior (reinforcers), punishers decrease behavior. Stimulus or consequence, when presented after behavior, reduces the likelihood that behavior will occur again.
What is punishment?
Process or procedure where a punisher (consequence) after behavior decreases the future probability of an operant response.
What is positive punishment?
The addition of a stimulus contingent on a response that decreases the future likelihood of that response. Contingent presentation of a consequence that reduces the future probability of behavior below its no-punishment level.
Ex: Child touches a hot stove (behavior) and feels pain (punisher). Less likely to touch the stove again.
What is negative punishment?
The removal, reduction, or prevention of a stimulus that decreases the future likelihood of behavior. Contingent removal, reduction, or prevention of a reinforcer, the effect of which reduces the future probability of behavior below its no-punishment level.
Ex: Child throws a toy, which is taken away.
What are the characteristics of effective punishment interventions?
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- Focus on Reinforcement First
- Combine Punishment with Extinction and/or Differential Reinforcement
- Deliver Punishers Immediately
- Deliver Punishment Contingently
- Punish Every Time
- Use a Punisher in the Goldilocks Zone
What is a primary punisher?
Contingent consequence that functions as a punisher because of the species’ evolutionary past. Consequence decreased the chances of survival.
Primary punishers are pain-inflicting stimuli (extreme heat or cold) or removal/reduction of primary reinforcers such as food, water, or a sexual partner.
What is a conditioned punisher?
Contingent consequence that signals a delay reduction to a backup punisher. Conditioned punishers decrease the future probability of mischievous action and are more subtle. This may be established through verbal learning.
Time-Out From Positive Reinforcement
Signaled response-contingent suspension of a positive-reinforcement contingency, the effect of which decreases the future probability of problem behavior.
