Chapter 6 Developing Behavioral Persistence Through the Use

Chapter 6 Developing Behavioral Persistence Through the Use of Intermittent Reinforcement

Intermittent Reinforcement Basic Definitions n Continuous Reinforcement opposite of extinction n Intermittent Reinforcement between extinction and continuous reinforcement schedules n Schedule of Reinforcement n

Intermittent Reinforcement n n Acquisition and Maintenance phases of learning: use continuous during acquisition, then intermittent schedules during maintenance. Advantages of Intermittant over Continuous reinforcer effective longer (satiation slower). ¨ more resistant to extinction. ¨ individuals work more consistently on certain int. schedules. ¨ persists more when transferred to natural reinforcers.

Ratio Schedules n n Fixed Ratio: start with low ratio, move higher gradually enough to avoid Ratio Strain. Characteristics: 1) high rate of response until reinforcement 2) higher ratios increase Postreinforcement Pause 3) high resistance to extinction Example: piece-rate pay

Ratio Schedules n Variable Ratio : Use average ratio to define the schedule. n Characteristics: 1) high steady rate of response 2)very little postreinforcement pause. 3)high resistance to extinction n Ratios can be increased less gradually without ratio strain. Examples: slot machines, asking for date, golf shot, solitaire n

Ratio Schedules n When to use Ratio Schedules? 1) To generate high rate of response 2) When each response can be monitored.

Simple Interval Schedules Fixed-Interval : ex. FI 2 -minute. Characteristics: 1) response rate increases gradually until reinforcement. 2) postreinforcement pause (higher FI value=longer pause n Examples: picking up a paycheck, checking mail n

Simple Interval Schedules n n n Variable-Interval Schedule : use average interval to define Characteristics: 1) moderate response rate 2) little post-reinforcement pause 3) higher resistance to extinction than FI Examples: checking mail (if delivered inconsistently) or answering machine

Simple Interval Schedules When to use simple interval schedules? Rarely, due to: n post-reinforcement pause for FI, n lower response rates overall for VI n continuous monitoring required for both after the end of an interval, waiting for the first behavior to occur. n

Limited Hold When to do limited hold? Whenever possible, to: 1) improve response rate to that similar to ratio scales, 2) eliminate post-reinforcement pause and increase resistance to extinction. n

Limited Hold Add Limited Hold to interval schedules to eliminate postreinforcement pause. (FI 1 minute/LH 10 seconds) n Response rates to interval schedules with limited hold are like ratio schedules: FI/LH like FR and VI/LH like VR. n

Limited Hold More resistant to extinction Examples. n Timer Game for kids (VI /LH), n waiting for bus (FI/LH), n watching TV (VI/LH), n hitchhiking (VI/LH), n calling friend (VI/LH) n

Duration Schedules Fixed-Duration and Variable-Duration n Characteristics: 1) Continuous behavior 2) FD has post-reinforcement pause 3) FD mod R. T. E. , VD High R. T. E. Examples: hourly pay (FD), melting solder (FD), rubbing sticks together (VD) n

Duration Schedules When to use? n When target behavior can be measured continuously and reinforced based on duration. FR better than FD, ex. dusting n

n n n Concurrent Schedules of Reinforcement We respond to concurrent (competing) schedules of reinforcement all the time…what determines which reinforcers we respond to? How do we prioritize our time (behavior)? immediacy of reinforcement magnitude of reinforcement response effort required schedule of reinforcement

Chapter 7 Types of Intermittent Reinforcement to Decrease Behavior

Intermittent Reinforcement to Decrease Behavior Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates (DRL) n Some behaviors are tolerable or even good at low rates but not at high rates. n Examples: talking, confrontation, visits, talking out in class…

Intermittent Reinforcement to Decrease Behavior n n Limited responding DRL: for undesirable behavior (reinforce if behavior is less than a certain limit within a certain time) Spaced-responding DRL: for desirable behavior that needs to be decreased to acceptable levels (e. g. giving answer in class). If behavior has not occurred for a specific interval, reinforce first instance of behavior after interval ends, then start non-reinforcing interval again.

Intermittent Reinforcement to Decrease Behavior n Differential reinforcement of Zero Responding (DRO) Reduction of DRL limit to zero Sometimes called Differential reinforcement of other responding because any other behavior besides the target behavior to eliminate is OK and is thus reinforced after a certain interval. This can create a problem of reinforcing other undesirable behaviors, so we can use…

Intermittent Reinforcement to Decrease Behavior Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Responding (10) n Find a desirable behavior which cannot be done at the same time as the undesirable behavior (see table pg. 93 n This eliminates the problem of reinforcing undesirable behaviors as mentioned above. n

Chapter 8 Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time and Place: Stimulus Discrimination and Stimulus Generalization

Stimulus Discrimination and Stimulus Generalization Stimulus Discrimination Learning n Stimulus Discrimination : emitting behavior in certain context, and not others. n ABCs of behavior: Antecedent (stimulus context), behavior, consequences

Stimulus Discrimination and Stimulus Generalization Stimulus Control : degree of correlation between stimulus and subsequent response n Discriminative stimuli SD or stimulus for reinforcement Sdelta or “ “ extinction Examples: swearing with friends, friends are SD swearing at Grandparents, GPs are Sdelta n

Stimulus Discrimination and Stimulus Generalization Physical Similarity: stimulus class Common characteristics: stimulus class, concept Equivalence class

Stimulus Discrimination and Stimulus Generalization Factors determining effectiveness of Stimulus Disc. Training 1) Distinct Signals: not easily confused, high attention value, salient 2) Minimizing opportunities for error structure environment carefully to avoid responses to Sdeltas 3) Maximize number of trials: 4) Use Rules: Describe the contingencies