Operant Antecedents Dr. Alan H. Teich Chapter 3

Antecedents Overt or Covert Immediate or Distant

Identifying Antecedents Functional Analysis behavioral excesses antecedents may be too frequent behavioral deficits antecedents may be too infrequent

Learning Antecedents Discrimination learning Stimulus Generalization Discriminative stimuli Differential reinforcement SD S-delta Stimulus Generalization Stimulus equivalence

Stimulus Control Prompting Physical guidance prompts Verbal prompts Pictorial prompts Gestural prompts Auditory prompts

Stimulus Control Fading Speed in fading errorless learning decreased assistance increasing assistance delayed prompting Speed in fading

Modeling and Instructions Guidelines Fade to reduce reliance Match to the person’s abilities Describe consequences Reasons for behavior Complex behaviors broken down

Application of Modeling and Instruction Fade these prompts Match the level of the information with the ability of the learner Make consequences apparent Break down complex tasks into manageable tasks Reinforce models Reinforce observers for attending Use models who are similar to the observer Use more than one model

Cognitive Antecedents Covert self-statements self-instruction strategies rules logical thinking

Antecedent Chains Target behaviors can involve a complex series of links that lead to the completion of a task Links become antecedents Disrupting the links can serve to decrease behavior

Managing Antecedents Decrease behavior by Reduce or avoid antecedents Narrow antecedent control SD to S-delta Cognitive strategies Change characteristics of antecedents

Managing Antecedents: Tips Look carefully at all potential antecedents Assess overt and covert antecedents Ask others to help identify antecedents Fade prompts in small steps