1. Chapter 7
Stimulus Control

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

3. 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)

4. 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

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

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

7. 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.

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

9. 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

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

11. 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.

12. 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.

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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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)