1. Promoting Generalization
Chapter 19
Promoting Generalization

2. Generality of Behavior Change
Stimulus generalization
The target behavior occurs in all relevant circumstances
The target behavior occurs outside of the training situation
Response Generalization
Change in the target behavior results in changes in other relevant behaviors.
Maintenance
Target behavior continues to occur in relevant situations after training

3. Examples Learning assertiveness skills
Teaching social skills to an autistic child
Learning to hit a baseball

4. Strategies to Promote Generalization
Reinforce instances of generalization
- Train in the target situation
- The training stimuli and criterion stimuli are the same
Train skills that contact natural contingencies of reinforcement
- Must first analyze the natural contingencies
- Train skills that will work for the learner
- Train the learner to solicit reinforcement

5. Strategies to Promote Generalization, Con’t
Modify natural contingencies of reinforcement and punishment
- Must have some control over the natural contingencies (for example, in educational settings or treatment environments)
Incorporate a variety of relevant stimulus situations in training
- Sample all relevant SDs for the target behavior
- Train sufficient exemplars
- General case programming

6. Strategies to Promote Generalization, Con’t
Incorporate common stimuli
- The stimuli from training have stimulus control over the target behavior in the criterion situation
- May include people or aspects of the physical environment
Teach a range of functionally equivalent responses
- Increases the chances of a successful response to a novel or difficult situation

7. Strategies to Promote Generalization Con’t
Incorporate self-generated mediators of generalization
- May include self-instructions or some other behavior of the learner
- May involve self-generated cues or prompts

8. Indicators of Successful Treatment for Problem Behaviors
1. Reduction in the problem behavior 2. Increase in desirable alternative behaviors 3. Generalization of the behavior changes to all relevant circumstances 4. Increase in the quantity or quality of positive reinforcement

9. Guidelines for Achieving Generalized Reductions in Problem Behaviors
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

10. Behavior-Event Relationships
Example 1
Little Tommy pointed to the donut shop as he and his mother were passing by it. “Mommy, can we get some donuts?” he asked. She slammed on the brakes, wheeled the car into the parking lot, and brought a dozen delicious treats. Several days later they were again passing the donut shop. “Mommy, can we get some donuts?” Tommy asked again. Again his mother complied. Several weeks and twelve dozen donuts later, Tommy was asking for the donuts daily (BOI).

11. Behavior-Event Relationships
Example 1
Little Tommy pointed to the donut shop as he and his mother were passing by it. “Mommy, can we get some donuts?” he asked. She slammed on the brakes, wheeled the car into the parking lot, and brought a dozen delicious treats. Several days later they were again passing the donut shop. “Mommy, can we get some donuts?” Tommy asked again. Again his mother complied. Several weeks and twelve dozen donuts later, Tommy was asking for the donuts daily (BOI).

12. Behavior-Event Relationships
Example 2
Your dog’s coat was full of burrs he while romping through the field. He cried until you removed them. Since that fateful day, he has cried (BOI) whenever he has burrs in his coat.

13. Behavior-Event Relationships
Example 2
Your dog’s coat was full of burrs he while romping through the field. He cried until you removed them. Since that fateful day, he has cried (BOI) whenever he has burrs in his coat.

14. Behavior-Event Relationships
Example 3
William wasn’t really much of a writer. One day, for lack of something better to do, he wrote a poem to his girl, Ophelia. When she read it, she cried sweet tears and whispered, “Oh, William! How beautiful!” Consequently, William regularly turns out love poems (BOI) - and even a few plays.

15. Behavior-Event Relationships
Example 3
William wasn’t really much of a writer. One day, for lack of something better to do, he wrote a poem to his girl, Ophelia. When she read it, she cried sweet tears and whispered, “Oh, William! How beautiful!” Consequently, William regularly turns out love poems (BOI) - and even a few plays.

16. Behavior-Event Relationships
Example 4
Fred was constantly swearing, regardless of what he was doing or was around. One day, Foul Freddie’s wife took his ten-dollar beer allowance from him when she heard him swear. She continued this procedure, and consequently Fred was swearing less and less (BOI) around her.

17. Behavior-Event Relationships
Example 4
Fred was constantly swearing, regardless of what he was doing or was around. One day, Foul Freddie’s wife took his ten-dollar beer allowance from him when she heard him swear. She continued this procedure, and consequently Fred was swearing less and less (BOI) around her.