1. Unit 4
Projects will be returned by Sunday if they were submitted by the deadline
Rubrics are at the end of your paper
Questions?
Antecedent Control Procedures-ch16
Promoting Generalization-ch19
Behavioral Contracts-ch23
The Token Economy (if time permits)-ch22

2. Antecedent Control Procedures
Based on functional assessment information
One of three functional, nonaversive interventions (take a look at table 16-1 on p. 378)
Manipulating discriminative stimuli (cues)
Manipulating establishing operations (EOs)
Manipulating response effort
Involves altering the environment in advance of the target behavior
Addresses antecedents rather than consequences of operant behavior
Addresses consequences indirectly through manipulation of establishing operations
Increases the probability of the desirable target behavior and decreases the probability of undesirable alternative behavior
Also called stimulus control procedures, situational inducement, antecedent modification, and preventative procedures

3. Quick Review What is an SD? What is an EO?
Discriminative stimulus: the stimulus that is present in the environment when a the target behavior is reinforced and increases the momentary frequency of the behavior (it has been associated with reinforcement in the past)
What is an EO?
Establishing operation: an event that temporarily increases the potency of a specific reinforcer and evokes that behavior that has resulted in the (same) reinforcer in the past
Alters how much you “want” the reinforcer and how hard you will “work” to get it
Michael J. Distinguishing between discriminative and motivational functions of stimuli. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. 1982;37:149–155. [PMC free article][PubMed]

4. Procedures to Increase the Probability of the Desirable Target Behavior
1. Present SD or cues for desirable behavior
2. Present EO for desirable behavior
3. Decrease response effort for desirable behavior

5. Present SD or cues for desirable behavior
The desirable behavior is under the stimulus control of the SD
When the SD is present, the behavior is more likely
Cues serve as prompts or reminders

6. Examples: Presenting SDs or cues
Seating arrangement to facilitate conversation in a nursing home
Reminder to floss on the bathroom mirror
Fruit in the fridge
Going to the library to study
Activity placemats at restaurants

7. Present EO for desirable behavior
An EO makes the reinforcer for the desirable behavior more potent
An EO increases the probability of the desirable behavior

8. Examples: Presenting EOs
No snacks before meal time
What does this do?
No naps to make sleeping more likely at night
Why would this alter the EO?

9. Decrease response effort for desirable behavior
A behavior is more probable when it requires less response effort than does a concurrent operant
Response effort may be decreased through environmental manipulation

10. Examples: Decreasing response effort
Recycling box next to desk
Healthy foods in easy reach
Books in backpack
Easy to use car seats

11. Procedures to Decrease the Probability of Competing (Undesirable) Behavior
1. Remove SDs or cues for competing behaviors
2. Eliminate EOs for competing behaviors
3. Increase response effort for competing behavior

12. Remove SDs or cues for competing behaviors
In the absence of the SD, the competing behavior is less likely
Examples:
Get junk food out of the house
Keep partying friends out of your place at study time

13. Eliminate EOs for competing behaviors
Without an EO, the reinforcer for competing behavior will not be potent
Without an EO, the competing behavior is less likely to occur
Examples:
Noncontingent attention, tangibles, or breaks
Provide choice of activities
Pain relief
Food shopping only after eating

14. Increase response effort for competing behavior
A behavior that requires more response effort than a concurrent operant is less likely
Response effort is increased through environmental manipulation
Examples:
No change in pockets/purse for candy machines
No junk food in the house
Seat aggressive person away from victim
Keep trash can away from desk (recycle box on desk)

15. Using Antecedent Control Procedures
Assess antecedents and consequences for desirable behavior and competing behavior
Assess response effort for desirable and competing behaviors
Determine which relevant SDs and EOs you can manipulate
Determine whether you can manipulate response effort for desirable or competing behaviors

16. Factors that influence the use of antecedent control procedures
Have you identified the relevant antecedents?
Can these antecedents be altered?
How acceptable will it be to alter these antecedents?

17. A Token Economy:
Involves the systematic use of conditioned reinforcers called tokens
Is used to increase desirable behaviors in an educational setting or treatment program
May be used with response cost to decrease undesirable behaviors as well

18. Token Economy-Response Cost?
What is the goal of the token economy
Increase appropriate behavior?
Decrease challenging behavior?
Both?
When do you implement response cost?
Allow the token economy be implemented as a reinforcement-based system first
Why?

19. Token Economy-Considerations
Prevent token theft or counterfeiting
Present tokens immediately after desirable behavior
If response cost is used, can the change agent get the token back
Pair token delivery with descriptive praise
Fade tokens before the client leaves the program
Cannot deprive participants of food or of their basic rights
Staff training and implementation (p.505)

20. Guidelines for Achieving Generalized Reductions in Problem Behaviors (447)
Conduct a functional assessment
Utilize functional interventions
Plan for generalization in advance using known generalization strategies
Focus on functionally equivalent alternative behaviors - a constructional approach
Maintain extinction (or punishment) contingencies across situations and over time