introduction to behavior analysis & the reinforcer ch 1
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Behavior Analysis & The Reinforcer
CH 1
Questions
• Why should we do behavior analysis?
• How should be do behavior analysis?
• How should we evaluate behavior analysis?
Why do behavior analysis?
• Practical side of behavior analysis– Improve life in the universe– “Quality of Life”
• Theoretical side– Scientific understanding of people, the world,
the universe is of value, just like art and music– Scientific knowledge for knowledge’s sake
Why do behavior analysis?
• Two major goals
– Understand the world• Functional relationships
– Save the world
=Similarity=
═ Goal of humanity═Well being of life in the universe
═ Goal of behavior analysis═Well being of life in the universe
═ (Goal of any profession)═Well being of life in the universe
How can we build a better world?
• Design systems that make people– Maximize human potential for growth – Happy– Healthy– Productive
Behavior Analysts
• Behavior-change professionals
• Deal with problems that might affect– An individual– Groups– Communities– Ecosystems– Future generations
Technology of Change
• Behavior analysts have developed and tested a technology of behavior change
Brief Quiz (thought question)
• Where would you like to see behavior analysts make a difference? List several situations.
• When answering this question, think about your parents, boss, teachers, friends, yourself, your environment, etc.
What variables play a part in what we are doing?
1. Evolutionary past – genes
2. History of interaction with environment – contingencies
3. Current conditions – SD’s
Behavior Analysts
• Concerned primarily with contingencies and how they affect behavior
• Knowledge of contingencies help us predict what will happen in the presence of discriminative stimuli and conditional stimuli
Chapter 1
The Reinforcer
Family Life
• An example from Journal of Abnormal & Social Psychology
Concept: ReinforcerBehavior:
Rod cries
Before:
Rod has no attention from Dawn
After:
Rod has attention from Dawn
Behavior:
Rod whimpers
Before:
Rod is alone
After:
Rod is not alone
Behavior:
Sid whines
Before:
Sid has no hug
After:
Sid has hug
Concept: Reinforcer
Behavior:
Cat sits
Before:
Cat has no treat
After:
Cat has treat
What is a positive reinforcer?
• A stimulus that increases the frequency of a response it follows
Stimulus: used inclusively
• Stimuli – sunset, taste of a smoothie, smile
• Event – race or concert
• Activities – playing guitar, shooting hoops
• Conditions – hot or cold, tired
How immediate is immediate?
• 60 second rule
• Never push the 60 sec limit
What is a reinforcer?
• Silver star on forehead for each answer?
• Sticker for each instance of raising hand?
• Praise after instances of sharing materials?
• How do you know a stimulus is a reinforcer?
Examples of reinforcers?
• Pin a token to the back of your shirt?
• Handing a visually impaired person a magnifying glass?
• Attention from a group?
• Watching someone tantrum?
Can problems be maintained by positive reinforcement?
• Unfortunately, this is often the case…..
• Reinforcement is effective regardless of whether it is explicitly arranged– E.g., watching paper towels fly…..
• Sometimes you reinforce one behavior even when you think you are reinforcing something else (Drennan’s belt requests)
Dead-man test
• If a dead man can do it, it ain’t behavior.
• And, if a dead man can’t do it, then it is behavior.
• How about thinking?
Behavior
• Anything a dead man can’t do
• What about imagining?
• Behavior is anything an animal (including the human animal) does.
• A muscle, glandular, or electrical activity.
Behavior=
Response
Behavior Analysis
• The study of the principles of behavior
Behavior Analysts
• Experimental Behavior Analyst
• Theoretical Behavior Analyst
• Applied Behavior Analyst
• Behavior analysts often work as performance managers……behavior manager…….behavior modifier.
• Clinical Behavior Analyst
REPERTOIRE
What is the difference between a repertoire and a response?
• You are what you do… you are your repertoire….
• A repertoire is a set of skills, what a person or animal can do.
• Can you pronounce it correctly?
Behavioral Interventions
• The use of a behavioral procedure
• We “intervene,” we do not “treat”
• Before intervening, there is a baseline phase during which the behavior of interest is measured in the absence of the intervention.
Assess reinforcers
• Behavior that is reinforced is strengthened
• Praise is a potential reinforcer– Does a behavior that is followed by praise
occur more frequently in the future?
Reinforcer assessment:
• Before spending much time trying to reinforce behavior, make sure you have a true reinforcer.
Reinforcer Assessment Procedures
• Ask
• Observe
• Direct assessment:– E.g., Forced choice
Harmful reinforcers?
• How can this be possible?
Behavioral Event
Before:
Your distant relative had no reinforcing taste of food.
Behavior:
Your distant ancestor found and ate food
After:
Your distant ancestor had the reinforcing taste of food
Biological Results:Distant ancestor nourished & more likely to survive and was more likely to reproduce and continue the lineage that produced YOU!
Be aware
• “If it feels too good, be careful.
• It’ll likely sneak up from behind and bite you on your rear end…”
Preparation
• Interpret and predict complex human behavior
• To be successful, must develop a repertoire that includes correct use of basic terms and an understanding of the basic principles
