1. Eliminating Inappropriate Behavior Through Punishment
Chapter 12
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Definitions
Punisher
Event that, when presented immediately after a behavior, causes that behavior to decrease in frequency
Synonyms
Aversive stimuli
Aversives
Principle of Punishment
If in a certain situation a person engages in a behavior that is followed immediately by a punisher, then the person is less likely to do the same thing again in a similar situation.
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3. Behavior Modification versus Layperson View of Punishment
Behavior Modification View:
Punishment should be immediate
Technical word – application of immediate consequences to decrease behavior
Differs from Layperson View
Layperson view
Should involve retribution
Should be used as a deterrent for potential wrong-doers
Behavior modification view: should be used sparingly to decrease or eliminate undesirable behavior
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4. Specific Types of Punishers
Pain-inducing punishers
Physical punishers
Activate pain receptors
Unconditioned punishers
Reprimands
Verbal reprimands
Fixed stare
Firm grasp
Conditioned punishers
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5. Specific Types of Punishers
Time-outs
Moving a person to a less reinforcing situation
Exclusionary time-out
Removing a person for a short time from a situation
Time-out room
Nonexclusionary time-out
Using a stimulus associated with less reinforcement
Response Cost
Removal of specified amount of reinforcer
May involve indirect effects (delayed punishment)
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6. Increasing the Effectiveness of Punishment
Increase stimuli for positive, alternative behaviors
Minimize the cause of undesirable behaviors
Select an appropriate punisher
The more intense the better; however, intensity that is needed is dependent upon the causes of undesirable behavior
Adding an antecedent to punishment
SDp – stimulus in the presence of which a response will be punished
Delivering the punisher
Most effective when delivered immediately after the behavior
Occasional punishment is less effective than punishment that follows every instance of the undesirable behavior
Delivery of punishment should not be paired with positive reinforcement – this weakens the punisher
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7. Should Punishment Be Used?
Can have harmful effects:
Elicits aggressive behavior
Can produce undesirable emotional side effects (i.e. crying, fearfulness)
Escape and avoidance behavior
Can cause the situation and people associated with the aversive stimulus to become conditioned punishers
No new behavior is taught
Modeling of punishment
Children may learn to apply aversive stimuli on others
Continued use of punishment
Punishment results in quick suppression of undesirable behavior
This can lead to overuse and not enough use of reinforcement of desirable behavior
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8. Behavior Modifiers and Punishment Programs
Recommendation to use punishment as a last resort because:
Easy to abuse
Application can have harmful side effects
Consider designing punishment programs only when:
Clear steps are taken to maximize the conditions for a desirable alternative response and to minimize the causes of the response to be punished
The behavior is very maladaptive and it is in the client’s best interest to bring about rapid behavior change
The client (or parent or guardian) provides informed consent
The intervention meets ethical standards
Punishment is applied according to clear guidelines
The program includes safeguards to protect the client
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Pitfall of Punishment
May discourage close approximations of behavior from developing into target behavior
May result in undesirable side effects
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10. Guidelines for the Effective Application of Punishment
Select a response
Punishment is more effective with a specific behavior
Maximize the conditions for a desirable alternative response
Select alternative behavior
Provide strong prompts
Reinforce
Minimize the causes of the response to be punished
Select an effective punisher
Present clear SDps
Deliver the punisher
Present immediately after every instance of response to be decreased
Administer in a calm, matter-of-fact manner
Do not pair with reinforcement
Take data
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