1 Principles of Behavior and Learning Theory Pre-Service Workshop.

1

Principles of Behavior and Learning Theory

Pre-Service Workshop

2

Learning Theory

• Learning: A change in behavior that is long-term and relatively permanent

• Theory: A set of underlying principles or tested assumptions which enable us to– 1. Organize and interpret our

observations and – 2. Decide on a response to those

observations

1 of 2

3

Introduction

• The Teaching-Family Model is a behaviorally-based program

– We believe• Behavior is learned• Behavior can be changed or taught

– We do not view youth as “bad”, just unskilled or skill deficient

– Inappropriate behavior is a product of previous learning and/or lack of learning

1 of 2

4

We can address problem behaviors and

therapeutic issues by teaching social skills to help children address

their needs in a positive way

1 of 2

5

We can understand behavior by examining three things:

•AA ntecedent – Conditions and events occurring

just before the behavior

•BB ehavior– Involves the five senses– Frequency, duration, intensity – Can be measured

•CC onsequences of the behavior– Determines whether the behavior

occurs more or less frequently in the future

6

Law of Behaviors and Desires

• Children act in ways that bring them closer to things they like, and away from things they don’t like.

• Are adults motivated by this law?

7

Understanding Behavior

– Our goal is to create an environment where positive behaviors can increase, and inappropriate behaviors can decrease

• Positive reinforcement to increase appropriate behaviors

• Response cost to decrease inappropriate behaviors

8

CONSEQUENCES WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON

FUTURE OCCURRENCE OF BEHAVIORS

• We are all consequence seekers. – We can create a positive learning

environment in our homes, but we have less control of other environments (school, restaurants, natural family, etc).

– Therefore, the consequences we consistently maintain, and provide rationales for, will generalize to other areas.

9

Reinforcers

• A REINFORCER is an event that:

–1. Follows the occurrence of a behavior.

–2. Increases the probability of that behavior.

10

ReinforcementHow new behaviors are learned

• Most people who have worked with our youth in the past, focused on what they did wrong

• Positive Reinforcement (4:1 -10:1)• The privileges we use are basic

reinforcers for most kids• We all have things we will work for

– Ask the youth for examples of personal reinforcers: What do they do with their free time?

• Reinforcers are individualized

11

Four Principles of Effective Reinforcers

• Size

• Immediacy – (60 second rule)

• Deprivation

• Contingency

12

Schedules of Reinforcement

• Continuous: Every time the appropriate behavior occurs, the youth is reinforced. Used to teach a new skill or reinforce a weak skill.

• Intermittent: The behavior is not reinforced every time it occurs. Used to maintain skills over time.

• Gradually shift from continuous to intermittent reinforcement in the home.

13

Increasing theFrequency of Behavior

• Examples of Positive Reinforcement

Volunteering to help

Praise

Completing homework

Praise and attention from

teacher

Crying Mom gives a cookie

Mowing yard Earning money

Nagging and pouting

Getting your way

Ignoring Arguing

Have more free time

Behavior Consequence

BehaviorMUST

increase

Outcome

14

Negative Reinforcement• Taking away something unpleasant immediately following a behavior to increase the frequency of that

behavior.

Antecedent Behavior Consequence

BehaviorMUST

increase

Outcome

Increasing the Frequency of Behavior

Alarm Sounds

Turn off Alarm

Quiet

Complain about chores

Parents give in

The child is quiet

Seat belt buzzer

goes off

You put on seatbelt

The buzzer goes off

15


• ShapingShaping

– A procedure used to gradually teach a completely new behavior by reinforcing closer and closer approximations to the desired behavior

• Example: Parents rewarding young children for sounds which approximate actual words

– A process for teaching more complex or difficult skills that the youth isn’t currently using

16

Using Shaping Effectively

• Decide on an effective reinforcer

• Keep your eye on the goal behavior

• Select an appropriate starting point

• Select appropriate “Steps” between behavioral approximations

• Use continuous reinforcement when establishing a new behavior

17


• ShapingShaping

– Shaping behavior involves individualizing teaching to fit the developmental level and age of the child.

– The youth should be able to recall and demonstrate the step consistently before moving on to the next step.

18

Decreasing Undesired Behaviors

RESPONSE COST

• The consequence of a behavior. This helps teach the youth cause and effect.

• Consistent use will decrease inappropriate behaviors and increase youth success. – You must also teach an

alternative behavior so the child knows what to do - not just what not to do.

19

DecreasingUndesired Behavior

• Examples of Response Cost

Miss out on group activity

Not making privileges

Loss of Allowance

Not doing chores

Earn point fineWhining

Sitting out next game

Missing Practice

Missing favorite TV program

Late starting homework

Loss of Money / License

Speeding

Behavior Consequence

BehaviorMUST

decrease

Outcome

20

Guidelines

• Youth can earn up to half points back for role playing a positive / alternative behavior.

• Communicate the rules and expectations clearly, so the youth has every chance to succeed. Try to eliminate “I didn’t know” excuses, so you are not constantly explaining.

21

Decreasing Undesired Behavior

• DISADVANTAGES OF USING PUNISHMENT– Creates “Fight or Flight” response– Does not teach alternative,

appropriate behavior– Damages relationships– May violate youth rights and staff

practices– Encourages youth to use punishment

when interacting with others

22

Decreasing Undesired Behavior

• Extinction: Planned ignoring or actively withholding reinforcement for behavior that has previously been reinforced and the behavior weakens

– Problems• It is virtually impossible to control the

environment to prevent any possibility of reinforcement

• Extinction Burst: Extreme escalation of a behavior as a youth attempts to get the expected reinforcement

• Spontaneous recovery - after a behavior has decreased, it may reappear for no apparent reason

• Learning occurs in the absence of active teaching

23

Generalization

A term used when skills that are taught in the treatment setting are used in other

environments:School

Home visits

Stores

Court

24

• Give Rationales

• Create opportunities for youth to use behaviors learned in other

environments

• Monitor and provide consequences for behaviors

outside of the home (school and home visit notes, etc)

Increasing Generalization

25

Techniques used to increase and/or decrease the frequency

of behavior

Behavior Increases Behavior Decreases

Presented or Added

Removed or Taken Away

Positive Reinforcement

Punishment

Response CostNegative

Reinforcement

26

Behavior Increases Behavior Decreases

Presented or Added

Removed or Taken Away

Positive Reinforcement

The presentation of a pleasant event following a behavior, resulting in the

strengthening of that behavior.

Ex: Hugs, Praise, Raises

PunishmentThe presentation of an unpleasant or aversive event following a behavior,

resulting in the weakening of that behavior

Ex: Reprimands, Corporal Punishment

Negative Reinforcement

Any event that follows a behavior and results in avoiding or escaping from

an unpleasant event and strengthening the behavior.

Ex: Seat belt buzzerParental nagging

Response CostThe removal of pleasant or positive events following a behavior, resulting in the

weakening of that behavior. Ex: Speeding Tickets

Loss of Privileges

27

RESOURES

Original Learning Theory class follows

28

Learning Theory

How youth learn and are motivated to learn

29

Definition of Learning Theory

What is “learning theory” and why is it included in the Pre-Service workshop?

A. Learning theory is included in the pre-service workshop because it is the foundation upon which the Teaching-Family Model has been built. Many of the skills which will be discussed in other sections are based on these fundamental learning principles.

B. Learning theory attempts to account for behavior in terms of observable behaviors and their antecedents and consequences. Learning theorists do not deny the contribution of genetics, biology or internal dynamic causes to behavior, but are simply less interested in these because they are difficult to observe and control.

30

Learning Theory Basic assumptions of learning theory:

1. Learning theory focuses on behaviors, i.e. observable events, described in language free from inferences about the meaning or significance the behaviors may have for the individual.( Concepts such as defenses, unconscious impulses and personality traits are not considered by learning theory.)

2. The learning theory model attacks problem behaviors directly.

3. The learning model views all behaviors as subject to the same psychological principles.

4. Learning approaches recognize the importance of past events in the development of learned behaviors. However, programs for behavior change always deal with current events in the environment which are maintaining the problem behaviors.

31

Why is learning theory or any theory important?The kind of theory you have about why behavior

occurs affects the strategy you will select in trying to deal with problem behaviors:

Example: Nine-year old Paul has been identified by his teacher as "hyperactive." A mental health team met to discuss Paul's case. Each had his or her own theory about the source of Paul's problems and strategies for how the problem should be handled:

a. The psychiatrist said the Paul's hyperactivity was a symptom of "minimal brain dysfunction" and should thus be treated with medication, special education, and therapy sessions

b. The social worker indicated that she felt that Paul's problem lay in his family and prescribed family counseling

c. The school psychologist (a latent behavior therapist) said, "No. Let's look at Paul's behavior in the school environment. What is Paul doing to be labeled hyperactive? When does he do these things? What happens when he does? Let's work within the school environment to change the contingencies supporting these behaviors."

32

How new behaviors are learned

A. REINFORCEMENTReinforces (or positive consequences are events following a behavior which increases the probability that the behavior will occur again. A behavior has been reinforced by something only if it increases in frequency; thus, a rein forcer is defined by its effect on behavior.

33

Learning Theory Examples

Situation Response Immediate Consequence

Long-Term Effect

Father and child areshopping in adepartment store on a hot afternoon and both are very tired

The child (uncharacteristically)follows father around the store quietly without complaining

Father turns to the child andsays, "You've been such agood girl. Let's go and buy anice cream and sit down for awhile.

On future shopping excursions, the child is more likely to follow her Father quietly.

Father is watching the Super bowl game on TV

Two of the kids are playing in the same room and are being extremely noisy

Father gives them each a quarter so that they will go to the store and not interfere with his TV

The kids are more likely to play noisily when father is watching TV in similar situations in the future

34

Impact of Reinforcers

• These two example illustrate how desirable and undesirable behavior may be strengthened through the use of reinforcement.

• For many behaviors that occur frequently, there are a number of reinforcers occurring.

35

Behavior/ Reinforcement

Behavior Possible Rein forcers

Attend a football game See our team win

Cook dinner Compliments

Going to Dairy Queen Eating a sundae

Crying Empathy

Working long hours Boss's praise

Eating less Fit into a smaller size

Praising someone Praise from others

Fighting Peer praise and winning

Going to work Salary with which to buy things

Pouting Attention/winning something

Presenting Having high ratings from participants

Going crazy Not having to take care of responsibilities/ being taken care of

36

Behavior/ Reinforcement

Behavior Possible Rein forcers

Going to work on any particular day

Getting salary

Getting work done -- feeling of accomplishment

Getting to see co-workers you enjoy being around

Thinking others see you as responsible

Keeping up to date on organization happenings

Family Teachers visiting with a teacher of a youth in their home

Gaining information about youth's progress to help in working with him in school areas

Getting compliments from teacher about working with youth

Anticipating getting high ratings from this teacher on the consumer evaluation

Feeling of accomplishment for getting teacher visit done

Getting out of the home for a while and enjoying different stimuli and people

Anticipating approval from supervisor

37

REMEMBER:When Treatment Planning

• If the above behaviors on the left do not increase or maintain over time, then the "possible rein forcer?' on the right may not be reinforcing at all. If the behaviors on the left actually decrease, then the "possible rein forcer" may actually be a punisher. One person's rein forcer may be another person's punisher.

38

Maximizing the Effectiveness of

Reinforcersa. Select rein forcers that are readily

available.

b. Present the rein forcer as quickly as possible after a response is made. A basic principal of behavior is that immediate reinforcement is more effective than delayed reinforcement.

c. Use rein forcers that don't require a great deal of time.

d. Use rein forcers - that can be used over and over without causing rapid satiation.

39

How New Behaviors are Learned

B. SHAPING 1. Shaping is a procedure used to establish a

behavior that is not presently performed by an individual through the use of positive reinforcement. Since the behavior has a zero level of occurrence, it is not possible to increase its frequency simply by waiting until it occurs and then reinforce it. Instead, behaviors which resemble the desired behavior are reinforced. Shaping is thus defined as the development of a new behavior by the successive reinforcement of closer approximations to the desired behavior and the gradual withdrawal of reinforcement for previously reinforced approximations of the behavior.

40


• Example: As children learn to talk, their parents begin by reinforcing any sounds that are distant approximations of real words, e.g. "ook" or "kuk" for "cookie." Gradually, parents may require closer and closer approximations in order for the response to be reinforced, e.g. "ookie" and later "cookie.“

2. Using Shaping Effectivelya. Decide on an effective rein forcerb. Keep your eye on the goal behavior. Clear

specification of the goal behavior you are trying to obtain is important so that you don't inadvertently reinforce irrelevant responses.

c. Select an appropriate starting point. This depends entirely on the goal behavior and the presence and frequency of approximations in the individual's response repertoire.

d. In carrying out shaping, several questions may arise. These include:

a. How large should the steps be?b. How long should one remain on each step?

What should be done if the behavior begins to disintegrate?

41


• There are no set answers to these questions. Generally, the steps should not be so large that the individual experiences failure and previous approximations are lost through lack of reinforcement (extinction). Before moving to a new step, be sure that the individual is able to perform the one he is on consistently. If the behaviors begin to disintegrate, it may mean that you have moved too quickly and you should return to the previous step.

E. Combine prompts and instructions with shaping. The use of prompts makes the shaping process much more rapidly. Prompts should be gradually faded until the behaviors occur consistently without prompts.

F. Strengthen the newly acquired behavior by providing many opportunities to practice and use continuous reinforcement until the behaviors are consistently occurring and then gradually shift to intermittent reinforcement.

42


C, CHAINING

1.A similar procedure may be used for more complex behaviors. This procedure is called chaining. Many behaviors consist of sequences or chains of behaviors. The links in the chain. are composed of simpler behavioral components. Chaining is accomplished by taking simple behaviors already in the repertoire of the individual and combining them into more complex behaviors by making reinforcement contingent on the production of the entire response chain.

• Example: Eating can be broken down into the following components: placing food on a spoon, bending arm, opening mouth, inserting spoon in mouth, removing empty spoon, chewing food, and swallowing. If each of these responses is present in the individual's repertoire, they can be elicited as a chain through the use of prompts and reinforcement may be given contingent on the response chain.

43


• 2. Using Chaining Effectively.-Decide on an effective rein forcer.-Identify the goal behavior and determine whether the links are already in the individual's response repertoire. If all the links are present, proceed with the chaining procedure. When links are absent from the individual's response repertoire, shaping and reinforcement should be used to strengthen the components so that then they may be combined into a chain.-If the goal behavior is very complex, small sub-chains may be taught first. Later these sub-chains may be linked together to achieve the goal behavior.

44


– Use prompts or cues. Verbal directions, gestures, modeling, written instructions, etc. may effectively shorten the time required to establish a behavior chain. Prompts should be gradually faded out until the behaviors occur consistently without the prompts.

– Provide many opportunities to practice and provide continuous reinforcement until behaviors are consistently occurring.

45


• D. FADING– An important adjunct to the shaping and chaining

procedure is fading. Fading is the gradual removal of prompts or cues which may be used to help elicit the desired responses. In fading, while the goal behaviors or approximations to goal behaviors are consistently reinforced, the prompts or cues that served to elicit the behaviors are slowly and progressively diminished. The procedure is designed to develop a behavior that is emitted in response to naturally occurring cues in the environment and is not dependent on artificial prompts or cues.

– Example: In the example of eating behaviors given above, the various component behavior may have initially been elicited by prompts such as, "First, I would like you to place food on your spoon, ..." These verbal descriptions may have been paired with modeling the desired behavior sequence. Gradually, the modeling and later the verbal prompts would be dropped until natural cues, such as being seated in the dining room with a plate of food in front of the individual, were sufficient to elicit the response chain.

46


• .E. INTERMITTENT REINFORCEMENT– Since in most instances the natural

environment does not reinforce every occurrence of a particular response, after new behaviors have been acquired and are occurring consistently, it may be desirable to move from continuous to intermittent reinforcement of the response. Intermittent reinforcement is a schedule of reinforcement in which a behavior is reinforced only some of the times that it occurs, rather than every time (continuous reinforcement). It strengthens behaviors already established by continuous reinforcement so that the behavior will be maintained for longer periods without reinforcement and thus, the behaviors will resist extinction.

47

Using Intermittent Reinforcement

Behavior Intermittent Reinforcement

Inserting coins and pulling lever on slot machine

Occasionally getting a pile of coins form machine

Cleaning one’s house every day

Occasionally having a visitor drop in and remark on how neat it is

Frequently lying about one’s whereabouts

Occasionally being believed

A two year old crying every night before going to bed

Occasionally parents “give in” and let the child stay up

Working hard on school studies every night

Getting good grades on tests

A youth Participation actively and regularly in family conferences

A Family Teacher periodically telling youth what a good leader he is

48


• Moving from continuous to intermittent reinforcement should be gradual so that the behavior does not extinguish. If the behavior does begin to disintegrate, go back to continuous reinforcement and much more gradually to a leaner schedule of reinforcement requiring either a progressively longer period to elapse between reinforcements or progressively more responses to be made in order for reinforcement to occur.

• Intermittent reinforcement has these other benefits:– It helps prevent satiation from too much of one

kind of reinforcement.– It promotes self-reinforcement since the

individual can no longer rely on external reinforcement each time he/she performs the behavior.

49

HOW OLD BEHAVIORS MAY BE REDUCED

– A. EXTINCTION• Extinction is a procedure in which a

behavior that has been previously reinforced is no longer reinforced. Ultimately, the consistent non-reinforcement of the behavior tends to result in a reduction of that behavior.

50

Behavior/ Extinction

Behavior Possible Extinction Procedure

Clients saying bizarre statements

Counselors ignore statements

Employee performs poorly

Employer withholds raise

Husband complains about wife’s cooking

No response from wife

Youth waives hand frantically to answer teacher’s question

Teacher ignores hand waver and calls on someone else

Youth doesn't clean up room as well as he usually does

Family Teacher doesn't give him any positive points

51

How Old Behaviors May be Reduced

• Using extinction effectively.– All sources of reinforcement must be

identified and withheld. Otherwise, you may end up with an intermittent reinforcement schedule which will make extinction even more difficult.

– Maintain extinction conditions for a sufficient time. Frequently with extinction, the behavior may get worse before it begins to decrease in frequency. This is called an "extinction burst." Extinction may also induct aggressive responses. Because of the delayed effect of these procedures, extinction may be contraindicated for certain kinds of behaviors.

– Combine extinction with other procedures, particularly reinforcement of incompatible behaviors.

52

How Old Behaviors May be Reduced

• Before deciding to use extinction, ask yourself the following questions:

– Can you tolerate the undesired behavior temporarily?– Can you tolerate a temporary worsening of the

behavior?– Is the behavior a non-aggressive one that is not likely

to be imitated by peers?– Are the rein forcers that are currently maintaining the

behavior known?– Can the reinforcement be withheld?– Can an alternative behavior be identified and can it be

reinforced?

• Once you have been able to answer yes to all the above questions, you can begin your extinction program for the undesired behavior while simultaneously reinforcing the alternative behavior. If your answer is no to any of the above questions, you should consider some other procedure.

53

RESPONSE COST

– Response cost refers to the contingent withdrawal of specified amounts of rein forcers contingent upon a behavior. The individual may "pay" a certain amount from his reinforcement reserve for having performed the behavior and thus the term "response cost." Response cost is another method of decreasing undesirable behavior.

54

Behavior/Response Cost

Behavior Response Cost

Speeding Paying a fine

Fighting 2,500 point fine

Breaking a college dormitory window

Breakage costs

Off-sides in football Yardage penalties

Poor school note Point penalty

55

Using Response Cost Effectively

– Allow for a build-up of reinforcement reserve before response cost is used.

– Penalize sparingly. Severe penalties may cause the individual to withdraw from the situation and be unmotivated to improve his behavior or they may trigger aggressive behavior. When large penalties are in order, provide opportunities for the individual to earn back some of the penalty by engaging in appropriate behavior.

– Communicate the rules clearly. Rules function as cues for the individual that certain behaviors will be penalized and that others will not. The individual can learn to make discriminations more rapidly when the rules are available to him.

– Combine response cost with other procedures. Response cost temporarily reduces the occurrence of specific behaviors and can be combined with reinforcement of incompatible behavior to effectively suppress the undesirable behaviors and increase the likelihood of more appropriate behavior.

56

PUNISHMENT– Punishers are unpleasant or

painful events that, when presented after a behavior is performed, decrease the likelihood that the behavior will occur in the future. Thus punishers, like rein forcers , are defined by their effect upon behavior.

– Punishment should be avoided when you want to reduce a behavior. All other procedures should be considered first since they are effective and have far fewer side effects.

57

Behavior/ Punishers

Behavior Possible PunisherFighting Getting hurt

Getting poor grades Parent's reprimands

Painting a picture Getting negative criticism

Running into street Getting spanked

Coming home late Being grounded and given extra chores

Cursing Getting a slap

Giving someone a compliment Being called a manipulator

Going to school Being mocked by friends who don’t attend school

Stealing a car Getting five years hard labor

Youth talking back to an adult Having to clean all the bathrooms

58

Punishers Can Have Negative Impact on Youth

– The person giving the punishment tends to become viewed as a punisher him/herself and as such, will be avoided (e.g. a youth skipping a particular class to avoid a teacher who reprimanded him.

– Anything associated with punishment will tend to take on punishing characteristics and be avoided (e.g. a youth always dislikes reading because he was taught by a teacher who always reprimanded him for his errors and never encouraged him to improve).

– The act of giving punishment is readily imitated by others (e.g. children are sarcastic with each other after seeing parents punishing through sarcasm).

59


– Undesirable peer reactions may occur when one individual has been singled out for punishment frequently. For example, the punished person may be avoided, ridiculed or generally avoided. On the other hand, the "underdog" effect may occur where the punished individual receives peer support or sympathy. This peer reinforcement would oppose the effects of punishment and perhaps end up increasing the undesired behavior.

– Punishment can cause the individual to think of him/herself negatively, especially if the punishment included aversive statements directed at the individual rather than at the behavior (e.g., "Your are a bad boy." -- "Can't you do anything right?" --or --"Are you going to be a baby all your life?")

60


– Punishment doesn't teach any new good behaviors and instead may produce some undesirable behaviors which may be used to avoid punishment:

• Running away Lying• Cheating• Hating• Withdrawal

– Punishment may become addictive to the user. Because it results in a quick suppression of undesirable behavior, it can tempt the user to rely heavily on it and neglect the use of positive reinforcement for desirable behavior. This may produce a vicious cycle of heavier and heavier doses of punishment to control the behavior.

61

HOW TO DETERMINE WHEN AND WHERE

BEHAVIORS WILL OCCUR

• A. GENERALIZATION AND DISCRIMINATION– Generalization is a process through which

a behavior learned or strengthened in one stimulus situation tends to occur in other situations. Generalization can lead to appropriate or inappropriate behavior.

• Examples:– A young child learns to say "dog" in

response to pictures of dogs and also labels any dogs he sees in his neighborhood appropriately.

– Another child learned to say "dog" in response to pictures of dogs and then generalized this response to any four footed creature.

62

HOW TO DETERMINE WHEN AND WHERE

BEHAVIORS WILL OCCUR

– The opposite of generalization is discrimination. When a behavior occurs more readily in the presence of one stimulus or situation than in another, we say that the individual has discriminated between the two stimuli or situations. In the first example above, the child had learned to generalize the response "dog" from pictures of dogs to any dogs in his environment. He had also learned to discriminate between those characteristics which are common to all dogs and those that separate dogs from other four footed animals. He was thus able to use the response "dog" appropriately. The discrimination was learned as the result of the child being reinforced for appropriate use of the word dog and the extinction of inappropriate usage of the word.

63

Obtaining Effective Generalization

Since it is not feasible to follow our youth around to reinforce the occurrence of behaviors we have taught in one situation in every situation we would like the behaviors to occur, there are several general approaches that will increase the likelihood that appropriate generalization will occur:

• Emphasize the common elements between the situations in which you have reinforced the youth's appropriate responses and those in which you would like the responses to occur.

Example: A Family Teacher has worked with one of her youth on being quiet in church and at the movies. The youth's class is going to a museum for the first time. The Family Teacher may emphasize the similarities between the situations, noting that in church or the movies, one must be quiet so that everyone may listen without being disturbed and that likewise in museums, one must be quiet so that others may enjoy the exhibits.

64

Obtaining Effective Generalization

– Maximize the number of similar situations in which you have reinforced the behavior. The greater the number of stimuli or situations in the presence of which the behaviors are reinforced, the more likely it is that the behaviors will generalize to other stimulus situations (e.g., if accepting criticism appropriately has been reinforced in your home and at school, it is more likely that it will generalize to job or sports situations).

• Regular reinforcement of the behavior in similar situations and extinction of the behavior in other dissimilar ones simultaneously teaches the youth a generalized response and a discrimination.

– Usually naturally occurring reinforcement will maintain the behaviors in the new environment. When you are not sure that this will occur automatically, you may attempt to change the reinforcement contingencies through prompts to other people in that environment to attend to and reinforce the youth's appropriate behaviors (e.g., you may have been working on the youth's ability to accept criticism in the home. You may want to prompt teachers to attend to these behaviors at school and reinforce them if they occur.)

65

References

• Kanfer and Phillips, Learning Foundations ofBehavior Therapy. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1970.

• Martin and Pear, Behavior Modification: What it is and how to do it. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1978

• Sulzer and Mayer,Behavior ModificationProcedures for School Personnel. Hinsdale, New York: Dryden Press, Inc. 1972

66

Reinforcers Menu

• Youth:

• Date:

• Consumable Reinforcers: What does the youth like to eat or drink?– What foods does the youth like

to east most?• Regular meals• Health foods• Junk foods• Sweets

67

Reinforcers Menu

– What beverages does the youth like to drink most?

• Milk• Soft Drinks• Juices • Other

• Activity Reinforcers: What things does the youth like to do?

• Activities in the home:• Activities in the Yard:

68

Reinforcers Menu

• Free activities away from home:• Activities you pay to do away form

home: • Passive activities:

• Manipulative Reinforcers: – What kinds of games or toys

does the youth like to play with?

• Possessional Reinforcers:– What kinds of things does the

youth like to possess?

69

Reinforcers Menu

• Social Reinforcers:– What kinds of verbal or physical

stimulation does the youth like to receive from others (specify who)?

• Verbal• Physical contact

• Self Reinforcers:– What kinds of self statements

does the youth make that seem to motivate him/her?

70

Social Learning Theory

• Define the following terms: – Antecedent:– Behaviors:– Consequences:– Rein forcer:

• There are four factors which determine the effectiveness of rein forcers. They are the principles of deprivation, contingency, immediacy, and size. Please define these concepts:

– Principle of Deprivation:– Principle of Contingency:– Principle of Immediacy:– Principle of Size:

71

Social Learning Theory• Schedules of Reinforcement:

– Continuous schedules of reinforcement, or reinforcing the behavior every time it occurs is used to __________a new skill or ____________a weak skill.

– Intermittent schedules of reinforcement are used to ______________newly learned skills.

• Consistent non-reinforcement of the behavior will tend to result in a reduction of the behavior. This is known as extinction. In order for the extinction to be effective all sources of reinforcement must be _________and _______

72


• Inadvertent extinction occurs when the shift from continuous reinforcement to _____________reinforcement is made too quickly for the youth. It may cause newly learned skills to become extinct.

• Define Shaping:• Define Response Cost:• When using response cost,

some important things to keep in mind are:

73


• Define Punishment:

• List some dangerous side effects of punishment:

– a. b. c. d. e.

• Define the concepts as they relate to Social Learning Theory:

– Generalization:– Discrimination:

74

Social Learning TheoryA. B. C.’s

• Antecedent

• Behavior

• Consequence

75

Social Learning Theory• Match the following behavior descriptions with the

learning theory principle which most closely applies. Place the letter of the correct principle next to the number of the example. In other words, what principle is probably responsible for the resulting behavior (response) in each case.

• All of these examples pertain to a youth's first contact with a skate board.

– Tim saw it and tried it. He fell off and broke his leg. He didn't try it again.

– Bill saw it and tried it. He was successful and had fun. He continued to do it.

– Jim saw it and tried it. He was successful, but didn't particularly enjoy it. His parents encouraged him and allowed him to get out of chores to have practice time. He continued to do it.

– Joe saw it and tried it. He was successful and had fun but ... He missed opportunities to date his girl friend when he practiced. He stopped doing it.

A = Negative reinforcementB = Positive reinforcementC = PunishmentD = Response cost

76

Principles of Behavior and Learning Theory

Pre-Service Workshop

This training presentation is available for download at:

www.utahparenting.org

© 2007 Utah Youth Village.

1 Principles of Behavior and Learning Theory Pre-Service Workshop.

Documents

Transcript of 1 Principles of Behavior and Learning Theory Pre-Service Workshop.