Chapter 7 Stimulus Control

Stimulus Control The effects of reinforcement, extinction, and punishment are situation specific

Reinforcement Behavior is reinforced in specific circumstances (when specific antecedents are present) Behavior is more likely to occur in the future in similar circumstances (when similar antecedents are present)

Extinction Behavior is no longer reinforced when it occurs in specific circumstances (when specific antecedents are present) Behavior stops occurring in the future in similar circumstances

Punishment Behavior is punished in specific circumstances (when specific antecedents are present) Behavior stops occurring in the future in similar circumstances

A-B-C’s of Operant Behavior Antecedent --> Behavior --> Consequence Contingency of reinforcement Three term contingency

Examples A -------------------------> B -------------------> C Phone rings Pick it up Talk to someone Phone doesn’t ring Pick it up No one there Outcome: You are more likely to pick up the phone when it rings but not when it’s not ringing. A -----------------------> B --------------------> C With friends tell stories friends laugh With parents tell stories no laughs, reprimands Outcome: You are more likely to tell stories to friends but not to parents.

Stimulus Discrimination Training Reinforce the behavior in the presence of one antecedent (SD) Do not reinforce the behavior in the presence of other antecedents.

SD = discriminative stimulus: The SD is the antecedent stimulus that is present when the behavior is reinforced SΔ = S-delta The SΔ is the antecedent stimulus that is present when the behavior is not reinforced SD ----> Behavior ----> Reinforcer (SR) SΔ ----> Behavior ----> Extinction (EXT) Outcome: In the future, the behavior is more likely to occur when the SD is present ** Stimulus control is the outcome of stimulus discrimination training

Stimulus Control The behavior is more likely to occur in the presence of the SD

Generalization Behavior occurs in the presence of stimuli that are similar in some way to the SD Because the behavior was reinforced in the presence of the SD, in the future, the behavior also occurs in the presence of similar stimuli.

SD----------------> R --------------> SR Parent makes Child complies Praise request Repeat with many different requests Outcome: Compliance to parent requests is reinforced and, as a result, the child complies with novel requests.

SD -------------> R ---------------> SR Example of Label the example Positive extinction correctly feedback Repeat with different examples Outcome: Can now label novel examples correctly

Discrimination Training SD --------------------> R -----------------------> SR large dog child says “dog” praise SΔ --------------------> R ------------------------> Ext a pony child says “dog” no praise, correction a goat child says “dog” no praise, correction Outcome: Child more likely to call a large dog a dog and less likely to call other animals dogs

Generalization Training SD ------------- R ---------------> SR Large dog, child says “dog” praise small dog, medium dog, etc. Outcome: Child is more likely to label any dog she sees as a dog

Discrimination The behavior occurs in the presence of a particular stimulus (the SD) Generalization The behavior occurs in the presence of similar stimuli (similar to the SD)