Behaviour Modification Principles Psychology

Front 1

What do behavior modifiers mean by the term deprivation? Give an example.

Back 1

The time during which an individual doesn’t experience the reinforcer. Eg. John’s parents don’t let him eat pizza, until after baseball practice.

Front 2

What do behavior modifiers mean by the term satiation? Give an example.

Back 2

That condition in which the individual has experienced the reinforcer to such an extent that it’s no longer reinforcing. Eg. Jessica is given a candy every time she solves a multiplication problem. Soon she grows tired of the candy, and won’t do her math.

Front 3

What is a motivating operation? Give two examples, one of which shouldn’t be from this chapter.

Back 3

Events or conditions that temporarily alter the effectiveness of a reinforcer and alter the frequency of behavior reinforced by that reinforcer.
Eg. Giving a child salty foods would be a motivating operation because it would alter the effectiveness of water as a reinforcer, and alter their behavior eg. Turning on a tap.
Eg. Putting Having a child run laps would make lying down in bed a more effective reinforcer, and it would alter the child’s behavior eg. Sweating, increased heart rate.

Front 4

Should you tell an individual with whom you’re using reinforcement about the reinforcement program before putting it into effect? Why or why not.

Back 4

Yes. Specific instructions will help speed up the learning process. Instructions may also influence an individual to work for delayed reinforcement. Adding instructions to reinforcement programs may help to teach individuals to learn to follow instructions.

Front 5

If you instruct someone about a positive reinforcement program for his or her behaviour, is that bribery? Why or why not?

Back 5

No, bribery is a reward offered to induce immoral or illegal acts. Postive reinforcement programs encourage positive beahviours.

Front 6

Distinguish between the direct- and indirect-acting effects of reinforcement.

Back 6

Direct-acting effects: The increased frequency of a response because of its immediate reinforcing consequences.
Indirect-acting effect: Strengthening of a response that is followed by a reinforcer even though the reinforcer is delayed. Delayed reinforcers may have an effect on behaaviour because of instructions about the behavior leading to the reinforcements or self-statements (thoughts) that intervene between that beahviour and the delayed reinforcer.

Front 7

When coach Keedwell required young swimmers to show improved performance in order to earn a fun activity at the end of practice, their performance improved dramatically. Was this a direct acing or indirect acting effect of reinforcement? Justify your choice.

Back 7

It was an indirect-acting effect of reinforcement, because the reinforcer is delayed until the end of swim practice.

Front 8

Give an example of contingent reinforcement that isn’t in this chapter.

Back 8

You will get an icecream after you clean your room. (A behaviour must occur before reinforcer is presented)

Front 9

Give an example of noncontingent reinforcement that isn’t in this chapter.

Back 9

Every child in the school gets to go out for recess at 10am. (Reinforcer is presented regardless of behaviour)

Front 10

What’s adventitious reinforcement? What is a superstitious behavior? Give an example of each that isn’t in this chapter.

Back 10

Adventitious reinforcement: Behaviour that is “accidentally” followed by a reinforcer may increase the behavior, even if it didn’t actually produce the reinforcer. Superstitious behavior is behavior increased by adventitious reinforcement. Eg. Johnny hit a home run after he patted his friend on the head. Now he pats his friend on the head before he goes up to bat each time.

Front 11

28) What do we mean by the natural environment? By natural reinforcers? By programmed reinforcers?

Back 11

Natural environment: A setting in which an individual carries out normal, everday functions.
Natural reinforcers:
Reinforcers that follow behavior in the course of everday living and occur in the natural environment.
Programmed Reinforcers: Reinforcers arranged systematically by psychologists, teachers, and others in behavior modification programs.

Front 12

Describe three behavioural episodes in this chapter that involved natural reinforcers. Justify your choices.

Back 12

a) A child is drawing on their wall and their parent tells them they will go get icecream. Getting icecream is a reinforcer that occurred in the natural environment (every day situation).
b) A driver nods and waves thanks to you after let them pull into traffic ahead of you. Their nod and wave is a natural reinforcer because it occurs in the natural environment (every day situation)
c) A woman tastes soup she just made and it was bland so she added salt and it tasted good. The good taste of the soup is a n atural reinforcer because it occurred in the natural environment (everday situation)

Front 13

Briefly describe, in a sentence each, eight factors that influence the effectiveness of reinforcement.

Back 13

a) The behavior you select to be increased
b) The reinforcer you chose.
c) The motivating operations (events that temporarily alter the reinforcers effectiveness and frequency of reinforced behavior)
d) The size of the reinforcer
e) Instructions regarding what should be done to receive reinforcement
f) The immediacy of the reinforcer
g) Whether it is a contingent or noncontingent reinforcer.
h) Weaning the learner from the program and changing to natural reinforcers.

Front 14

Is it correct to conclude that a withdrawn child necessarily doesn’t like attention from other people? Explain

Back 14

No, the withrdrawn behavior probably evokes more social attention than would have been obtained by engaging in social behaviors because there are persistant attempts to get the child to behavior socially. So they may actually be engaging in the withdrawn behavior for attention.

Front 15

Describe an example of the pitfall that involves a person unknowingly applying positive reinforcement to strengthen an undesirable behavior?

Back 15

John speaks ill of the boy who got the lead in the school play, John’s mother tells John that he is better than the boy who got the lead. John is more likely to speak ill of that boy in the future.

Front 16

State the Partial-knowledge misapplication pitfall. How was this pitfall exemplified by Coach Keedwell?

Back 16

A person knowing a behavior principle but not realizing some ramification that interferes with applying it effectively eg. Noncontingency.
This was exemplified by coach Keedwell because he knew that positive reinforcement could improve behavior, but was unaware that noncontingent reinforcement rarely improves behavior.

Front 17

Consider this statement: “A college student was reinforced for studying 3 hours on the weekend by getting a good grade on the test the following week.” How does this statement exemplify the inaccurate-explanation-of-behaviour pitfall.

Back 17

It’s an oversimplified explanation. There was a long gap between studying and consequence of an A. We should look for immediate consequences that strengthened the behavior (if consequence happens more than 30 seconds after behavior) eg. Anxiety reduction

Front 18

State the second type of inaccurate-explanation-of-behaviour pitfall.

Back 18

Trying to explain behavior by giving the individual a label.

Front 19

Ideally, what four qualities should a reinforcer have (Besides the necessary quality of functioning as a reinforcer).

Back 19

a) Readily available
b) Can be presented immediately following the desired behavior
c) Can be used over and over without causing rapid satiation
d) Do not require a great deal of time to consume.

Front 20

Discuss evidence that people’s behavior can be modified without their being aware of it.

Back 20

Animals can learn withought verbalizing an understanding or awareness of their beahvioural changes, as well as those with profound developmental disabilities who can’t speak can have behavior changes, as well as students in blind studies.

Front 21

What are three indicators that a behavior change is due to indirect-acting versus direct-acting effects

Back 21

a) The consequence follows the reinforcer by more than 30 seconds.
b) The behavior that is measured shows some increase in strength prior to the first occurance of the consequence
c) A single occurance of the consequence produces a large change in behavior

Front 22

How do some authors use the terms direct and indirect contingencies of reinforcement? What suggestions do the authors of this text make regarding that usage, and why?

Back 22

Indirect as a response that reveals the reinforcer, direct as the reinforcer being given by the behavior modifier.
The authors suggest calling these types of indirect reinforcement contingency and direct reinforcement contingency to avoid confusion with direct- and indirect-acting effects.

Front 23

Explain what an unconditioned reinforcer is. Give two examples

Back 23

Stimuli that are reinforcing without prior learning or conditioning. Example: Food for a hungry person, warmth for a cold person.

Front 24

Explain what a conditioned reinforcer is. Give and explain two examples.

Back 24

Stimuli that become reinforcers because of learning experiences. Stimuli that weren’t originally reinforcing but have become reinforcers by being paired with other reinforcers. Eg. Praise, watching t.v.

Front 25

Explain what a backup reinforcer is. Give and explain two examples

Back 25

When a stimulus becomes a conditioned reinforcer through deliberate association with other reinforcers, the other reinforcers are called backup reinforcers.
Eg. Seaworld trainers
Eg. When John solves math problems he gets points, when he earns enough points he gets a sticker. The stickers and points are backup reinforcers.

Front 26

What were the backup reinforcers in Erin’s program.

Back 26

The points, and getting to go on facebook.

Front 27

Describe a target behavior of yours that you would like to improve that might be amenable to a points program like Erin’s. What would you use as backup reinforcers for the points?

Back 27

I would want to stop being on my phone so often. My backup reinforcer would be getting chocolate.

Front 28

What are Tokens?

Back 28

Conditioned reinforcers that can be accumulated and exchanged for backup reinforcers.

Front 29

Explain in two or three sentences what a token economy is?

Back 29

A behavior modification program in which individuals can earn tokens for specific behaviours and case them in for backup reinforcers. The tokens are used because they can bridge the gap between behavior and reinforcement.

Front 30

Is money a token. Justify your answer.

Back 30

Yes. Money is a conditioned reinforcer that can be accumulated and exchanged for backup reinforcers.

Front 31

Give two examples of stimuli that are conditioned reinforcers but not tokens. Explain why they are conditioned reinforcers and why they aren’t tokens.

Back 31

Eg. Praise-we aren’t born with praise being a reinforcer, it is conditioned. They aren’t tokens because they cannot be exchanged for any backup reinforcement.
Eg. Watching tv-we aren’t born with t.v. watching as a reinforcer, so it must be conditioned. It’s not a token because it can’t be exchanged for any backup reinforcement.

Front 32

Explain what a conditioned punisher is. Give and explain two examples.

Back 32

As stimulus that is paired with a punishment becomes punishing itself. Eg. The phrase “stop that”
Eg. A dog is punished by shock and each time he is shocked he hears a bell. The bell becomes a conditioned punisher.

Front 33

Distingusih between a simple conditioned reinforcer and a generalized conditioned reinforcer. Explain why a generalized conditioned reinforcer is more effective than a simple conditioned reinforcer.

Back 33

Simple conditioned reinforcer: A conditioned reinforcer that is paired with a single backup reinforcer.
Generalized conditioned reinforcer: A stimulus paired with more than one kind of backup reinfocer.
Generalized conditioned reinforcers are more effective because since there is more than one backup reinforcer, there’s a greater chance of one of them being strong enough to motivate the behavior.

Front 34

Is praise a generalized conditioned reinforcer? Defend your answer.

Back 34

Yes, praise has more than one backup reward eg. Good job, have a cookie, eg. Good job go watch tv

Front 35

Were the points in Erin’s program a generalized conditioned reinforcer? Defend your answer.

Back 35

No. They were only redeemable for one backup reinforcer, facebook time.

Front 36

List three factors that influence the effectiveness of conditioned reinforcers

Back 36

a) The strength of backup reinforcers
b) The variety of backup reinforcers
c) The number of pairings with a backup reinforcer

Front 37

Explain what causes a conditioned reinforcer to lose its value

Back 37

It is no longer associated with a suitable backup reinforcer.

Front 38

Describe two pitfalls of conditioned reinforcement and give an example of each

Back 38

a) Unaware-misapplication pitfall: People who are unfamiliar with the principle of conditioned reinforcement may unknowingly misapply it.
Eg. An adult reprimands a child for behaving poorly, but doesn’t provide a backup punisher, and the reprimand gives attention that is reinforcing.
b) Partial-knowledge-misapplication pitfall: Ceasing to pair a conditioned reinforcer with a backup reinforcer casing the conditioned reinforcer to lose its value. Eg. A teacher awards stampled happy faces as tokens for good behavior but doesn’t use effective backup reinforcers.

Front 39

How is conditioned reinforcement involved in influencing babies to babble sounds in their native language, even when no adults are around to reinforce the behaviour?

Back 39

Because the sounds are automatic conditioned reinforcers (conditioning of stimulus because it resembles a conditioned stimulus) eg. Of mom saying mama then tickling the child

Front 40

Discuss how conditioned reinforcement is involved in an addiction such as nicotine and in making it difficult for people to quit their addiction.

Back 40

Because of the reinforcing effects of the stimuli associated with what they’re addicted to are comparable with the unconditioned reinforcing effects of the addiction.

Front 41

What are the two parts to the principle of operant extinction

Back 41

If an individual in a given situation emits a previously reinforced behavior and that behavior isn’t followed by a reinforcer then that person is less likely to do the same thing again when next encountering a similar situation.

Front 42

Is telling someone to stop eating candy and the person stops an example of operant extinction? Explain why or why not on the basis of the definition of operant extinction.

Back 42

No, because the parents telling them to stop eating candy does not stop the reinforcing effect of the good taste of the candy.

Front 43

Is a parent ignoring a child’s behaivour an example of operant extinction? Explain why or why not on the basis of the definition of operant extinction.

Back 43

It can be, if the attention is working as a reinforcer for that particular behaviour, then yes, if it is not, then no.

Front 44

Suppose immediately after an instance of swearing, parents remove part of a child’s allowance and the result is that swearing decrease. Is this an example of operant extinction? Explain why or why not.

Back 44

No, because it is a response-cost punishment, not operant extinction.

Front 45

What’s the difference between forgetting and operant extinction.

Back 45

In forgetting a behavior is weakened as a function of time following its last occurance, operant extinction weakens behavior as a resumt of being emitted without being reinforced.

Front 46

Explain the difference, in terms of procedure and results, between the loss of value of a conditioned reinforcer and the operant extinction of a positively reinforced behaivour.

Back 46

In loss of value of a reinforcer, the reinforcer is no longer strong enough to motivate a behavior, despite being reinforced. In operant extinction, the positive reinforcer is no longer presented at all.

Front 47

If a behavior that was maintained by positive reinforcement is not reinforced at least once in a while isn’t reinforced at least once in a while, what will happen.

Back 47

Operant extinction.

Front 48

Why did the mother’s attempt to extinguish the child’s cooking eating fail?

Back 48

She wasn’t withholding the reinforcement that was responsible for the cookie eating.

Front 49

In table 6.1 which example involved positive reinforcement for an alternative response. For those that don’t, indicate how positive reinforcement for an alternative response may be introduced.

Back 49

A teacher attends to children who aren’t snapping their fingers.
Introduction of positive reinforcement for alternate response:
Parents give child dessert when they ask quietly and say please.
Wife responds to husband when he talks about positive things
Cashier is friendly to customers who wait in line.

Front 50

Why is it necessary to consider the setting as a factor influencing your operant extinction program.

Back 50

a) To minimize the influence of alternative reinforcers on the undesirable behavior to be extinguished
b) To maximize the chances of behavior modifier persisting with the program.

Front 51

Describe a particular behavior you would like to decrease in a child with whom you have had contact. Would your extinction program require a special setting? Why or why not?

Back 51

A child I know screams when they want a snack. The program should be in a private setting, so the screaming doesn’t disturb others, and a setting in which there is no one who will give the child a snack in response to their screaming.

Front 52

Define continuous reinforcement and give an example that isn’t in this chapter.

Back 52

A schedule in which each instance of a particular behavior is reinforced. Eg. Everytime Peter studies for an hour he gets a cookie.

Front 53

Define intermittented reinforcement and give an example that isn’t in this chapter.

Back 53

A schedule in which a behavior is reinforced only occasionally. Eg. Sometimes when John finishes reading a chapter book, he gets ice cream.

Front 54

What is the effect of continuous versus intermittent reinforcement on the resistance to extinction of an operant behavior.

Back 54

When a behavior is continuously reinforced, and then abruptly is never reinforced, the behavior extinguishes quickly. When intermittent reinforcment has maintained a behavior, the behaviour is likely to extinguish slowly.

Front 55

What is an extinction burst? Describe an example

Back 55

During operant extinction, behavior may increase before it begins to decrease. Eg. A kid is picking their scabs and you ignore them, they begin to pick more vigorously and more often, before the picking decreases.

Front 56

What is spontaneous recovery? Describe an example

Back 56

The reappearance of an extinguished behavior following a break. Eg. Jonathan’s interrupting behavior extinguished for a day, then returned a day later, in smaller instances.

Front 57

In a sentence for each, describe eight general factors influencing the effectiveness of operant extinction.

Back 57

a) Control of reinforcers for the behavior that’s to be decreased
b) Combining extinction with positive reinforcement for an alternative behavior
c) The setting in which extinction is carried out
d) Instructions or rules
e) Schedule of reinforcement before extinction is carried out.
f) Behaviour being extinguished may get worse before it gets better
g) Extinction may produce aggression that interferes with the program
h) Spontaneous recovery after a delay

Front 58

Describe two examples of operant extinction that you’ve encountered. One involving a desirable behavior and one involving an undesirable behavior. For each example, identify situation, behavior, immediate consequence and probable long term consequence. (Example not from text)

Back 58

Example 1: Situation: My sister wanted my attention while I was trying to do homework, Response: She started poking me Immediate consequence: I ignored her, Long term consequence: She didn’t poke me the next time she wanted my attention.
Example 2: Situation: A girl is told to practice piano after school Response: She plays the piano Immediate response: No one compliments her Long term consequence: She stops practicing piano.

Front 59

Briefly describe an example of a pitfall of operant extinction. Which type of pitfall does your example illustrate

Back 59

John ignores his daughters screaming for cookies, but when mom comes home, she gives the daughter a cookie when she screams. This is partial-knowledge pitfall.

Front 60

Operant extinction shouldn’t be applied to certain behaviours or in certain situations. What types of behaviours and situations would these be? Give an example of a behavior to which operant extinction shouldn’t be applied, and an example of a situation where operant extinction shouldn’t be applied.

Back 60

Behaviours that can be dangerous if they increase, or behaviours in settings where it is impractical to extinguish a behavior, Eg. Hitting oneself on the head Eg. Trying to extinguish a child’s temper tantrum in a library

Front 61

What are three possible reasons for the failure of an operant extinction program.

Back 61

a) The attention you are withholding following the undesirable beahviour isn’t the reinforcer that was maintain the beahviour
b) The undesirable behavior is reciving intermittent reinforcement from another source
c) The desired alternative behavior hasn’t bee strengthened sufficiently.

Front 62

Discuss whether the operant extinction program with Louise decreased her feelings of pain

Back 62

Yes, she reported less headache pain, and was able to do more behaviours she couldn’t do in the past due to headaches.

Front 63

What is bootleg reinforcement. Give an example

Back 63

An undesirable effect caused by unwanted reinforcement during operant extinction. Eg. John gives his daughter a hug after she’s crying because she saw a bug.