1. Environmental Control
STIMULUS CONTROL
Environmental Control
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2. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
DEFINITIONS
Discriminative stimulus (SD)
An antecedent stimulus that signals that a particular behavior will be reinforced
Laymen: A cue that tells us what we should be doing and when!
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3. REINFORCEMENT OF OPERANT RESPONSES
Increase the likelihood of future occurrences of the response
Influence the stimuli that immediately precede the response (the antecedent stimuli)
Laymen: Reinforcing a behavior results in the antecedent stimuli eventually serving as a cue to “evoke” that behavior.
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4. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
“Reinforcing a behavior results in the antecedent stimuli eventually serving as a cue to “evoke” that behavior.”
That is the beauty of a discrete trial.
Explain……………Give examples using the
A – B – C contingency
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5. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
Troutman text
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6. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
What is the “functional relation” between behavior and an antecedent stimulus (instead of behavior and a consequence)?
Answer?
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7. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
What is the “functional relation” between behavior and an antecedent stimulus (instead of behavior and a consequence)?
Answer: Stimulus Control
Explain………
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8. Operant Conditioning Manipulating the Variables
*SD Antecedent Behavior Consequence
lever…………press lever......….pellet
buzzer…lever………….press lever.....…..pellet
*(lever pressing may result in food pellet only
when emitted in the presence of the buzzer)
The buzzer precedes the lever press!
Once the rat begins to emit more lever presses in the presence of
the SD (buzzer), than in its absence, the behavior is said to be under “stimulus control”.
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9. Identify the functional relations in the chart below:
*SD Antecedent Behavior Consequence
lever…………press lever......….pellet
buzzer…lever………….press lever.....…..pellet
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10. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
Answer:
Behavior to consequence and
Behavior to antecedent stimuli
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11. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
Michael (1982) cautions against stating that an event is an ‘SD for reinforcement’…
“It is the behavior that is occasioned, not its reinforcement!” ((refer to JEAB article)
An antecedent stimuli sets the
occasion on which a response
will be reinforced
?????
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12. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
STIMULUS CONTROL
A response that occurs in the presence of SD , but NOT in its absence is said to be under “stimulus control”.
A behavior under stimulus control will continue to occur in the presence of the SD
even when reinforcement is infrequent.
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13. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
Stimulus control is bringing behavior under the control of time, place and circumstance!
Arriving 15 minutes late may be appropriate for a party but not for a job interview.
Loud talking may be appropriate in a playground but not in a library
Some behaviors that educators refer to as “inappropriate” are not really behavior problems but are problems of emitting behaviors at a time, place or circumstance that is deemed inappropriate.
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14. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
Examples:
Identify the variables for the following:
Answering a phone
Stopping at a traffic light
Lining up for a drill
Getting off of an elevator
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15. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
STIMULUS CONTROL
*SD Antecedent Behavior Consequence
Rings……..phone …….answers…....conversation
Red light….traffic light …stop ……(SR-) ????
Bell………Fire Alarm…..line up………...Exit
Bell/Door opens…Elevator….Get off …Destination
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16. RESPONDENT CONDITIONING
UCS UCR
Dog ----food presented----salivation (elicited) NS
Bell ----(paired w/food)----salivation (elicited) CS
Bell-----NO food salivation (elicited)
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17. SD versus Conditioned stimulus
Both are antecedent stimuli
What is the distinction?
The way in which each acquire their controlling function is very different!
Discriminative stimulus- operant behavior/ontogenetic
The SD acquires controlling function via association with stimuli that
occur immediately following behavior.
Conditioned stimulus – (fixed) respondent behavior/phylogenetic
The conditioned stimulus acquires controlling function through association with other antecedent stimuli (UCS)
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18. Operant versus Respondent
Ontogenetic:
an organisms interaction with the environment
unique experiences
history of reinforcement
learned responses
Phylogenetic:
inherited history
genetic background of the individual
fixed and reflexive responses
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19. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
Both are antecedent stimuli
What is the distinction?
Discriminative stimulus- operant behavior/ontogenetic
The SD acquires controlling function via association with stimuli that
occur immediately following behavior.
The buzzer is associated with the reinforcing consequence of food/pellet delivery.
Conditioned stimulus – (fixed) respondent behavior/phylogenetic
The conditioned stimulus acquires controlling function through association with other antecedent stimuli (UCS)
The bell is associated with the food (other antecedent stimuli – UCS)
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20. RCMPHD - BCBA SUPERVISION
REFERENCES
Michael, J Distinguishing between discriminative and motivational functions of stimulus. JEAB, 37,
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