9/29/2015

WEEK 5
PUNISHMENT,
IDENTIFYING
REINFORCERS

SPED 5010: APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS 1

BETHANY P. CONTRERAS, M.S., BCBA

REVIEW
o Extinction: the process by which a previously reinforced
behavior is no longer followed by the reinforcing
consequence and the behavior decreases
o Punishment: the process by which a behavioral
consequence follows a behavior and results in a
decrease in the behavior
o Positive punishment: stimulus added, behavior
decreases
o Negative punishment: stimulus removed, behavior
decreases

ACTIVITY
o In your groups
o List 2 examples each of
o Positive punishment
o Negative punishment
o Share with the class
o Remember to give:
o Behavior:__________________
o Consequence:______________
o Effect on behavior:___________

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UNCONDITIONED AND
CONDITIONED PUNISHERS
o Unconditioned punishers: stimuli that function as
punishers without prior learning (e.g., painful stimuli,
extreme stimulation)
o Conditioned punishers: stimuli that function as
punishers only after being paired or associated with
other existing punishers (e.g., threats, “NO!”, angry
glances)
o Any stimulus can become a conditioned punisher
o Note!
o Punishers are defined functionally
o A given stimulus is only a punisher if it weakens the
behavior that follows
o E.g., speeding tickets, detention, time out,

POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH

PUNISHMENT
o Although punishment has incredible value, we avoid
purposefully using it in the classroom
o Problems with punishment:
o 1.) Emotional reactions to punishment
o 2.) Negative reinforcement for the use of punishment
o 3.) Punishment and modeling
o 4.) Ethical issues
o 5.) Only teaches a person what not to do, doesn’t
teach them what to do

REINFORCEMENT VS. PUNISHMENT

o Both are consequences
o Punishment is an equal and opposite process to
reinforcement
o The effects of both are only temporary
o If the reinforcer is no longer delivered, the behavior
decreases (extinction)
o If the punisher is no longer delivered, the behavior
comes back (recovery)
o A common criticism of punishment is that the effects
are only temporary…
o So are the effects of reinforcement

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TABLE OF 4 BASIC BEHAVIORAL

OPERATIONS

Behavior Behavior
Increases Decreases
Stimulus Positive Positive
Applied Reinforcement Punishment
Stimulus Negative Negative
Removed Reinforcement Punishment

A MODEL OF BEHAVIOR
o Referred to as the ABC model of behavior

Context of Genetic Endowment

Context of Individual’s History of Learning

Antecedents:
(a) Motivating
Operation
Behavior Consequence
(b) Discriminative
Stimulus
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PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

o Diagram 1 example each for:
o Positive reinforcement
o Negative reinforcement
o Extinction
o Positive punishment
o Negative punishment
o Your examples should include:
o The SD, MO, behavior, consequence, effect on
behavior

SD: Behavior: Consequence: Effect on Bx:

MO:

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STRATEGIES FOR
IDENTIFYING
REINFORCERS

WHY IDENTIFY REINFORCERS?

o Our primary teaching tool is positive reinforcement
o We need a way to identify what stimuli will work as
positive reinforcement for our students
o The items identified can be used in interventions:
o Aimed at increasing desirable behavior
o Aimed at decreasing undesirable behavior
o Can’t we just ask the students?
o Sometimes…
o More effective/accurate to directly assess
o Strategies to ID reinforcers allow:
o Assessment of new stimuli
o Direct comparisons of stimuli

STIMULUS PREFERENCE
ASSESSMENTS (SPA)
o Systematic methods for identifying potential
reinforcers
o Systematically provide choices among stimuli, then
measure those choices
o Can assess preference for a variety of different
stimuli
o Edibles, tangibles, activities, music, smells, social
interactions, etc.
o Different types of SPA
o Single-item method
o Paired-stimulus method
o Multiple stimulus methods

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SINGLE-ITEM ASSESSMENT
o Pre-selected items are presented to student one at a
time
o Each item is presented multiple times
o Record approaches
o Get a percentage of opportunities that the student
approached the items
o Preference is determined based on the ranking of
percentages
o Video example

SAMPLE DATA SHEET

SINGLE-ITEM ASSESSMENT
o Advantages
o Places items into general categories of “preferred” or
“non-preferred”
o Successful in identifying reinforcers in individuals with
severe disabilities
o As well as students who don’t know how to make
choices
o Disadvantages
o Tends to overestimate preference
o Does not allow comparisons among stimuli
o Time consuming

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PAIRED-STIMULUS ASSESSMENT
o Pre-selected items are presented to the student two
at a time (in pairs)
o Student is allowed to chose between the items
o Each item is presented with each other item at least
twice
o Item on left and on right
o Record selection and interaction/consumption
o Get a percentage of opportunities that the student
selected the items
o Preference is determined based on the ranking of
percentages
o Video example

SAMPLE DATA SHEET

TIME TO PRACTICE!
o Use your SPA procedures document (from the CANVAS site)
o Work in pairs
o What to do:
o Present 2 items at a time and say “pick one”
o Allow 5 seconds for selection, and ~20 s for consumption
o Record data following each trial
o If there is no approach/selection
o Prompt student to try each item
o Try again
o If still no selection, record N and move on
o If student tries to take both
o Block, remove items, represent
o Put items farther apart
o Block student from reaching until you are ready
o Score your data
o Items selected 80% or more are considered preferred

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PAIRED-STIMULUS ASSESSMENT
o Advantages
o More precise than single item method
o Allows items to be compared
o Provides a ranking of preference
o The most accurate SPA (i.e., results closely tied to
reinforcer efficacy)
o Disadvantages
o Can be time consuming
o Not practical to use on a frequent basis

BRIEF MULTIPLE STIMULUS

WITHOUT REPLACEMENT (MSWO)
o 5 pre-selected items are presented at the same time
o Student allowed to select one item at a time
o After selection, the items are re-sequenced and the
selected item is NOT put back
o Go through sequence 3 times
o Record selection and interaction/consumption
o Get a ranking of items selected (approximates
preference)
o Video example

SAMPLE DATA SHEET

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TIME TO PRACTICE!
o Use your SPA procedures document (from the CANVAS site)
o Work in pairs
o What to do:
o Present 5 items at a time and say “pick one”
o Allow 5 seconds for selection, and ~20 s for consumption
o Following selection, re-arrange the remaining stimuli
o Record data following each trial
o If there is no approach/selection
o Prompt student to try each item
o Try again
o If still no selection, record N and move on
o If student tries to take multiple items
o Block, remove items, represent
o Put items farther apart
o Block student from reaching until you are ready
o Do this 3 times
o Score your data (using the data sheet)

BRIEF MSWO
o Advantages
o Produces results similar to a paired-stimulus
assessment
o Get a ranked order of preference among the stimuli
offered
o Time efficient (5 minutes)
o Disadvantages
o Can be difficult to manage multiple stimuli
o Not quite as precise as paired-stimulus

FREE OPERANT ASSESSMENT

o Allow student a period of unrestricted access to
variety of items simultaneously and record what they
engage with (and for how long)
o The items a student engages with most can serve as effective
reinforcers
o Naturalistic free operant: allow the student access to
the natural or regular environment
o Contrived free operant: you select the stimuli that are
available
o What to do:
o Set timer for 5 minutes (or 10 minutes)
o Allow student to engage with whatever he/she wants
o Record the items as well as the approximate duration with each
item

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SAMPLE DATA SHEET

FREE OPERANT ASSESSMENT

o Advantages
o Can be quicker than other assessment (e.g., paired
stimulus)
o Has been associated with less challenging behaviors
(compared to paired and MSWO)
o Can help you determine what items to include in
future preference assessments
o Disadvantages
o Less likely to get a hierarchy of preference
o Student may chose to not do anything (now what?)

CONSIDERATIONS FOR SPA

o How to select items to be included in the SPA
o Structured interview with caregivers
o Sit back and watch the student for a short period
o Just start trying things
o Preference changes over time
o Preference for any item is likely to change over time
o Probably tied to motivating operations (e.g., preference for
candy before lunch vs. after lunch)
o Important to conduct frequent assessments
o Which would you use?
o Food vs. tangibles
o Would you offer them together?
o What about other types of stimuli? Activities and social
interaction? Apps and music?

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TROUBLESHOOTING
o Challenging behaviors
o Student refuses to give the item back
o Student tries to select multiple items at once
o Side bias
o Other issues?

FOR NEXT WEEK

o Study guide 5
o MB Ch. 22 & 23
o Assignment 5
o Conduct 3 brief MSWO preference assessments with one
student
o Guidelines
o Use the same student for each assessment
o Use the same stimuli for each assessment
o Conduct each assessment on a different day (so that you
can assess preference over time)
o Each MSWO consists of 3 presentations of the
complete array
o Turn in:
o Completed data sheet
o Brief typed summary of your experience (1/2 page)

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