per holth tacts & joint attention: an operant analysis of joint attention skills per holth

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Tacts & Joint Tacts & Joint Attention:Attention:

An Operant Analysis of An Operant Analysis of Joint Attention SkillsJoint Attention Skills

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Tacts & Joint AttentionTacts & Joint Attention

1. The tact1. The tact

2. Generic 2. Generic (natural) (natural) reinforcemenreinforcement of the TACTt of the TACT

3. Joint 3. Joint attentionattention

4. Why study 4. Why study JA?JA?

5. Operant 5. Operant analysis of JAanalysis of JA

6. Research 6. Research questionsquestions

7. Training 7. Training proceduresprocedures

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Tact (Skinner, 1957)Tact (Skinner, 1957) "a verbal operant in which a given response "a verbal operant in which a given response

form is evoked (or at least strengthened) by form is evoked (or at least strengthened) by a particular object or event or a property of a particular object or event or a property of an object or event.”an object or event.”

SSDD R R S SRRGEN. GEN. CONDCOND

The unique relation to a discriminative The unique relation to a discriminative stimulus, rather than to a specific stimulus, rather than to a specific establishing operation, is obtained by (i) establishing operation, is obtained by (i) many different reinforcers or (ii) generalized many different reinforcers or (ii) generalized reinforcers. reinforcers.

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Generalized reinforceGeneralized reinforcementmentSkinner (1957)Skinner (1957)

Instead of using a great variety of reinforcements, Instead of using a great variety of reinforcements, each of which is relevant to a given state of each of which is relevant to a given state of deprivation or aversive stimulation a contingency deprivation or aversive stimulation a contingency is arranged between a verbal response and a is arranged between a verbal response and a generalized conditioned reinforcergeneralized conditioned reinforcer. .

Any event which characteristically Any event which characteristically precedesprecedes many different reinforcers can be used as a many different reinforcers can be used as a reinforcer to bring behavior under the control of all reinforcer to bring behavior under the control of all appropriate conditions of deprivation and aversive appropriate conditions of deprivation and aversive stimulation. (p. 53)stimulation. (p. 53)

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EstablishingEstablishingconditioned reinforcersconditioned reinforcers

• • correlate with primary reinforcercorrelate with primary reinforcer((blocking)blocking)

oror

• • establish as Sestablish as SDD for responses for responses that that produce a primary produce a primary reinforcerreinforcer

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Generalized reinforceGeneralized reinforcer:r:”Approval””Approval”

A common generalized conditioned A common generalized conditioned reinforcer is “approval.” It is often reinforcer is “approval.” It is often difficult to specify its physical difficult to specify its physical dimensions. It may be little more than dimensions. It may be little more than a a nodnod or a or a smilesmile on the part of on the part of someone who characteristically someone who characteristically supplies a variety of reinforcements. supplies a variety of reinforcements. Sometimes . . . it has a verbal form: Sometimes . . . it has a verbal form: Right! or Good!” (p. 54)Right! or Good!” (p. 54)

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Typical generalized Typical generalized ‘conditioned’ ‘conditioned’ reinforcers 1reinforcers 1

• To what extent are they typically To what extent are they typically conditioned in the first place in conditioned in the first place in normally developing children? normally developing children?

(Combine Fantz with deCasper et al.)(Combine Fantz with deCasper et al.)

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- Autocatalytic process?Autocatalytic process?- Additional sources of Additional sources of

reinforcement?reinforcement?

Monitorsmile, nodgaze

ObserveNovel event

ReportNovel event

Lower frequencyof SAs and Ss

Higher frequencyof mand reinf.

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When generalized reinforcers are When generalized reinforcers are only established through only established through contrived contingencies, can contrived contingencies, can they be maintained as reinforcers they be maintained as reinforcers at near-normal rates of back-up at near-normal rates of back-up (primary) reinforcement?(primary) reinforcement?

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An extended verbal episodeAn extended verbal episode

SD1

SDSOC.

RV SRGEN.

ROBS.

(ROBS)

Looking for

novel event

Novelevent

Looking for

(potential)

attention

Attention

TACT

LISTENER’S

look, smile,

nod, “yes,”

“m-hmm,”

relevant

comments

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Joint attention:Joint attention:A triadeA triade

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The concept of JAThe concept of JA

From From

‘‘Gaze following’Gaze following’ (Scaife & Bruner, (Scaife & Bruner, 1975)1975)

toto

‘‘Theory of mind’Theory of mind’ (e.g., Baron-(e.g., Baron-Cohen, 1991)Cohen, 1991)

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Joint Attention in ‘social-cognitive Joint Attention in ‘social-cognitive development’development’

normative patternsnormative patterns of emergence of emergence (e.g., (e.g., Corkum & Moore, 1995) Corkum & Moore, 1995)

relation to later developing skillsrelation to later developing skills:: ‘‘symbolic abilities’ (Hobson, 1993; Mundy, Sigman, & symbolic abilities’ (Hobson, 1993; Mundy, Sigman, &

Kasari, 1993), Kasari, 1993), ‘‘language abilities’ (Baldwin, 1995; Bates et al., 1979; language abilities’ (Baldwin, 1995; Bates et al., 1979;

Bruner, 1975; Tomasello, 1988) and Bruner, 1975; Tomasello, 1988) and ‘‘general social-cognitive processes’ (Baron-Cohen, general social-cognitive processes’ (Baron-Cohen,

1995; Bruner, 1975; Mundy, 1995; Tomasello, 1995). 1995; Bruner, 1975; Mundy, 1995; Tomasello, 1995). a syndrom-specific deficita syndrom-specific deficit in autism in autism (e.g., (e.g.,

Baron-Cohen, 1989, Mundy & Crowson, 1997; Sigman & Baron-Cohen, 1989, Mundy & Crowson, 1997; Sigman & Kasari, 1995; Sigman, Kasari, Kwon, & Yirmiya, 1992).Kasari, 1995; Sigman, Kasari, Kwon, & Yirmiya, 1992).

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DefinitionsDefinitions ““the simultaneous engagement of two or more individuals in the simultaneous engagement of two or more individuals in

mental focusmental focus on one and the same external thing” (Baldwin, on one and the same external thing” (Baldwin, 1995, p. 132)1995, p. 132)

(a) narrow version: “looking where someone else is looking”(a) narrow version: “looking where someone else is looking”(b) broad version includes: “responsive and initiating behaviors (b) broad version includes: “responsive and initiating behaviors as well as the checking of another person’s face. . .” (Sigman & as well as the checking of another person’s face. . .” (Sigman & Kasari, 1995, p. 189)Kasari, 1995, p. 189)

““knowingknowing that another is looking at and experiencing that another is looking at and experiencing something in the visual world” (Bruner, 1995, p. 7)something in the visual world” (Bruner, 1995, p. 7)

““both participants are monitoring the other’s attention to the both participants are monitoring the other’s attention to the outside entity . . . [and] the coordination that takes place in outside entity . . . [and] the coordination that takes place in joint attentional interactions is accomplished by means of an joint attentional interactions is accomplished by means of an understandingunderstanding that the other participant has a focus of that the other participant has a focus of attention to the same entity as the self” (Tomasello, 1995, pp. attention to the same entity as the self” (Tomasello, 1995, pp. 105-107)105-107)

although JA “. . . typically refers to coordination of visual although JA “. . . typically refers to coordination of visual attention, . . .[it] may be achieved through other sensory attention, . . .[it] may be achieved through other sensory modalities” (Sarria, Gomez & Tamarit, 1996, p. 49)modalities” (Sarria, Gomez & Tamarit, 1996, p. 49)

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ExamplesExamples

Gaze followingGaze following MonitoringMonitoring Social referencingSocial referencing ProtoimperativeProtoimperative ProtodeclarativeProtodeclarative

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Gaze following 1Gaze following 1

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MonitoringMonitoring

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Monitoring 1Monitoring 1

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Social referencing 1Social referencing 1

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Protoimperative 1Protoimperative 1

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Protodeclarative 1Protodeclarative 1

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Why behavior analysts Why behavior analysts should study joint attentionshould study joint attention

Autism-specific deficit -- yet early Autism-specific deficit -- yet early intervention studies lack JA measuresintervention studies lack JA measures

Cognitive psychologists have insisted Cognitive psychologists have insisted that JA skills are not learnedthat JA skills are not learned

Lacking JA skills may be directly Lacking JA skills may be directly related to specific language deficitsrelated to specific language deficits

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A letter to the ME listA letter to the ME list

Does anyone have any ideas on Does anyone have any ideas on how to develop a program on how to develop a program on teaching a child to comment? My teaching a child to comment? My son . . . does not make comments. son . . . does not make comments. A purple cow could walk by and he A purple cow could walk by and he wouldn't mention it.wouldn't mention it.

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Why joint attention Why joint attention phenomena are important in phenomena are important in

verbal and listening skillsverbal and listening skills

Consider what happens in their Consider what happens in their absence absence listening skillslistening skills

””Look at that!”Look at that!” ””There’s a horse with three legs!”There’s a horse with three legs!”

MANDSMANDS TACTSTACTS

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Mand with no joint Mand with no joint attentionattention

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Tact with no joint attentionTact with no joint attention

?

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Operant analysis of JA skillsOperant analysis of JA skills

DiscriminationDiscrimination Conditioned reinforcementConditioned reinforcement Conditional discriminationConditional discrimination Conjugate reinforcementConjugate reinforcement Continuous repertoiresContinuous repertoires Observing responsesObserving responses

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Establish other’s looking, Establish other’s looking, smiling and nodding as Ssmiling and nodding as SD D -- 1-- 1

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Observing responsesObserving responsesDinsmoor (1983)Dinsmoor (1983)

VR Ext.

SD S

R R

MIX

MULT

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Reinf.

SD

R

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Ext.

S

R

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Observing responses:Observing responses:

Mother’s look as SMother’s look as SDD

Reinf. Ext.

SD S

R R

MIX

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Observing responses:Observing responses:

Mother’s look as SMother’s look as S

Reinf. Ext.

SD S

R R

MIX

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More on operant principles and More on operant principles and JA skills JA skills

Behavior is very fluid; it isn’t made up Behavior is very fluid; it isn’t made up of lots of little responses packed of lots of little responses packed together. I hope I will live to see a together. I hope I will live to see a formulation which will take this fluidity formulation which will take this fluidity into account. into account. (Skinner, 1968, pp. 20-21)(Skinner, 1968, pp. 20-21)

Conjugate reinforcementConjugate reinforcement Continuous repertoiresContinuous repertoires

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Conjugate reinforcementConjugate reinforcement

In conjugate reinforcement, the In conjugate reinforcement, the intensity of a continuously available intensity of a continuously available reinforcing consequence is directly reinforcing consequence is directly controlled by the subject’s rate of controlled by the subject’s rate of responding. (Morgan & Lindsley, responding. (Morgan & Lindsley, 1966)1966)

Attention-maintaining responsesAttention-maintaining responses

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Continuous repertoiresContinuous repertoires

Control of a continuous response Control of a continuous response dimension by a continuous stimulus dimension by a continuous stimulus dimension. (Wildemann & Holland, dimension. (Wildemann & Holland, 1972)1972)

Gaze followingGaze following ImitationImitation

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Research questionsResearch questions Typical generalized ‘conditioned’ reinforcersTypical generalized ‘conditioned’ reinforcers

(a) Can they be maintained as such at near-normal rates (a) Can they be maintained as such at near-normal rates of back-up (primary) reinforcement? of back-up (primary) reinforcement?

(b) To what extent are they typically conditioned in the (b) To what extent are they typically conditioned in the first place? (Combine Fantz with deCasper & Fifer)first place? (Combine Fantz with deCasper & Fifer)

Continuous repertoiresContinuous repertoiresIs multiple exemplar training sufficient, or Is multiple exemplar training sufficient, or are there additional prerequisites (pivotal skills)? are there additional prerequisites (pivotal skills)?

Observing responsesObserving responsesCan they be prevented/removed by a Can they be prevented/removed by a preponderance of attention as Spreponderance of attention as S??

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Establishing TACTS in Establishing TACTS in tactless manderstactless manders

establishing normal tact-consequences establishing normal tact-consequences as reinforcersas reinforcers

establishing simple joint attention establishing simple joint attention skillsskills

producing high-rate tact responses in producing high-rate tact responses in the natural environmentthe natural environment

discrimination training with respect to discrimination training with respect to objects and events worth talking about objects and events worth talking about vs. those not worth talking aboutvs. those not worth talking about

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1. Establishing normal tact-1. Establishing normal tact-consequences as reinforcersconsequences as reinforcers

Nods, smiles, ’attention,’ etc. as SNods, smiles, ’attention,’ etc. as SDDs for s for responses that produce reinforcersresponses that produce reinforcers

Different reinforcers, using tokensDifferent reinforcers, using tokens Stretching the ratioStretching the ratio Fading the tokensFading the tokens

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Free-operant Free-operant reinforcer pretestreinforcer pretest

Response: Hit bell

Intrinsic Mix social Sweets

Response: Put mark across line

IntrinsicRelevantcomments Sweets

57

67

2

3

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Response: Ball into wall

Response: Pearls on board

57

2

Intrinsic Praise Sweets

Intrinsic SweetsNods & smiles 45

57

22

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Remaining problemsRemaining problems

Potential reinforcers are visiblePotential reinforcers are visible

Reinforcement is not generalizedReinforcement is not generalized

Reinforcement is continuousReinforcement is continuous

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Different reinforcers – using Different reinforcers – using tokens,tokens,

stretching the ratio and fading the stretching the ratio and fading the tokenstokens

Reverse chainingReverse chaining Prompts faded as soon as possiblePrompts faded as soon as possible Diversity of back-up reinforcersDiversity of back-up reinforcers Less eye-chatching versionsLess eye-chatching versions

Marks on paper sheetsMarks on paper sheets Done by trainers (and others) gradually Done by trainers (and others) gradually

more oftenmore often

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Response: Hit bell

Intrinsic Mix social Sweets

Response: Put mark across line

IntrinsicRelevantcomments Sweets

57

67

2

3

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57

2

Intrinsic Praise Sweets

Intrinsic SweetsNods & smiles 45

57

22

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Free-operant Free-operant reinforcer posttestreinforcer posttest


Response: Mark across line

27Intrinsic Mix social 39 Sweets

IntrinsicRelevantcomments

22 23

46Sweets

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Free-operant Free-operant reinforcer posttestreinforcer posttest

Response: Ball into basket


Intrinsic14 14

Praise Sweets 20

Intrinsic

48

Nod & smile

81

47Sweets

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Mean - pretestMean - pretest

94

52

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Intrinsic Social feedback Sweets

Response consequences

Mea

n no

of

resp

onse

s

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Mean - posttestMean - posttest

23

34 34

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Intrinsic Social feedback Sweets

Response consequences

Me

an

no

of

res

po

ns

es

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2. Joint attention skills:2. Joint attention skills: A step-by-step A step-by-step procedureprocedure

Gaze followingGaze following MonitoringMonitoring Attention bidsAttention bids

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(a) Train Gaze following 1(a) Train Gaze following 1

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Prompt 1

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Prompt 2

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(b) Train monitoring 1(b) Train monitoring 1

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Stop!

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(c) Train attention bids(c) Train attention bids

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3. Producing high-rate tact 3. Producing high-rate tact responses in the natural responses in the natural

environmentenvironment

TRAIN ”WHAT’S THAT” AS A MANDTRAIN ”WHAT’S THAT” AS A MAND

PicturesPictures Objects in the roomObjects in the room BehaviorBehavior Objects and events outsideObjects and events outside

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Differential gDifferential generalized eneralized reinforcereinforcement:ment:

Familiar objects loose their control Familiar objects loose their control because the community eventually because the community eventually withholds reinforcement except under withholds reinforcement except under special conditions. special conditions. Only objects Only objects which are unusual in some which are unusual in some respect or which occur in unusual respect or which occur in unusual surroundings, are important to surroundings, are important to the listener and hence provide the listener and hence provide the occasion for reinforcing the the occasion for reinforcing the speaker[‘s behavior].speaker[‘s behavior]. (pp. 89-90) (pp. 89-90)

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4. Discrimination training with 4. Discrimination training with respect to objects and events respect to objects and events

worth talking about:worth talking about:

What’s missing /what’s new?What’s missing /what’s new? What’s changed?What’s changed? What’s weired/strange in the room/on What’s weired/strange in the room/on

a person?a person?

Arranged continuously Arranged continuously intermittently intermittentlyReported immediately Reported immediately delayed delayed to to

someone elsesomeone else

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A letter to the ME listA letter to the ME list

Does anyone have any ideas on Does anyone have any ideas on how to develop a program on how to develop a program on teaching a child to comment? My teaching a child to comment? My son . . . does not make comments. son . . . does not make comments. A purple cow could walk by and he A purple cow could walk by and he wouldn't mention it.wouldn't mention it.

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Establishing TACTS in Establishing TACTS in tactless manderstactless manders

Video:Video: 3.053.05 Reinforcer testReinforcer test 5.205.20 One prompt (marks) One prompt (marks) nodsnods 7.007.00 Nods & smilesNods & smiles 7.367.36 Toy Toy

figuresfigurescardscardsfruitsfruitsbehaviorbehavior 9.509.50 Destroyed objectsDestroyed objects 10.2410.24 ??????

11.4011.40

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Documents

generalized reinforcers

holth slide

holth generalized reinforcer

primary reinforcer slide

cond s d r s r

different reinforcers

rvrv s r

novel event novel event