PowerPoint Slides to Accompany Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers Seventh Edition Paul A. Alberto Anne C. Troutman ISBN: Alberto & Troutman Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers, 7e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

Chapter 10 Providing for Generalization of Behavior Change Alberto & Troutman Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers, 7e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

Generalization Generalization is a major area of difficulty for students with disabilities – What does this mean? Generalization can focus on extending target behaviors over time, to new situations/environments, or to new behaviors Can you think of examples?

Generalization Stimulus generalization occurs when a student responds to similar stimuli not specifically taught – e.g., a child learns “dog” & all animals are dogs – eventually learns to identify all types of dogs & other animals that are not dogs Maintenance means a response remains strong over time – e.g., You can still identify nouns, proper & common, even though the skill was taught years ago – This is why thinning of reinforcement schedules is so important

Generalization Response generalization – when an individual exhibits new but similar untaught responses – e.g., you learn to cook a few items & then go ahead & do others not specifically taught to you – it shows confidence but many of us do not do this – we need reinforcement, especially for academic skill development

Questions for Programming Generalization Has the skill been acquired? – it is accurate/correct, fluent, & reliably performed? Can the student acquire reinforcers (natural or otherwise) without performing the skill? – Is the student motivated to perform the skill? Learned helplessness Does the student perform part of the skill? – Is the student able to perform the whole skill? Alberto & Troutman Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers, 7e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

Techniques for Assessing and Training for Generalization Train and Hope – not likely to occur Sequentially Modify – teach in each setting/situation where the skill is needed Introduce to Natural Maintaining Contingencies – teach skills that will be reinforced by others- students can also seek reinforcement as needed Train Sufficient Exemplars – use many examples & non- examples – vending machines, street corners, math problems – general case program Train Loosely – don’t be overly rigid, let students respond to natural cues & contingencies – use many teachers & situations for instruction Alberto & Troutman Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers, 7e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.

Techniques for Assessing and Training for Generalization Use Indiscriminable Contingencies – use intermittent reinforcement – build in resistance to extinction (maintenance) Program Common Stimuli – teach using different but similar stimuli – job applications, sentence recognition, use simulation activities Mediate & train for generalization – Use self-management techniques

Ways to Promote Generalization Observing the student’s environment. Choosing behaviors that are subject to trapping as determined by observation. Teaching students to recruit reinforcers from the environment. Teaching students to recognize reinforcement when it is delivered. Alberto & Troutman Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers, 7e Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey All rights reserved.