1	TCLC Mississippi Behavior Clinic Summer Institute Applied Behavior Analysis in the Classroom
2	Why is this important?
3	Applied Behavior Analysis Applied behavior analysis focuses on objectively defined, observable behaviors of social significance; it seeks to improve the behavior under study while demonstrating a reliable relationship between the procedures employed and the behavioral improvement; and it uses the methods of science-description, quantification, and analysis. (Cooper, Heron, & Howard, 1987)
4	Operational Definition of the Science The biological model views behavior as a function of biological process. The psychodynamic model views it from unconscious determinants.
5	Operational Definition of the Science The cognitive views it as mediated by thought processes and understanding. The humanistic approach focuses on the human desire to achieve its potential. The behavioral model views behavior from the functional vantage point.
6	Operational Definition of the Science Experimental Analysis. Operates under the rigorous conditions of a laboratory. Works to establish systematic relationships between conditions in the environment and resultant behavior. Past and present interactions with the environment are the focus of study. The behavior of the organism are examined not as symptoms, but as the actual purpose of inquiry.
7	Operational Definition of the Science Applied Analysis. Investigation of the organisms behavior moves into the real world. The same relationships are studied, but the behaviors are socially significant. Applied settings are more challenging and difficult to experimentally control. The findings have direct benefit.
8	Operational Definition of the Science Applied Behavior Analysis has evolved into a systematic, performance based, self evaluative method of studying and changing socially important behavior. Performance Based – Overt Behavior is measured and Covert Behavior (inner events) are translated into objectively defined observable phenomena and then quantified. Vague terminology are redefined into quantifiable behaviors. Operational definitions are created to allow for the measure of frequency, duration and other parameters.
9	Operational Definition of the Science Analytical. Must yield convincing, reproducible, and conceptually sensible demonstrations of how to conduct specific behavioral change. When a behavior is changed with one organism another organism whose behavior is controlled by the same maintaining variables should also benefit from the same treatment (replication).
10	Operational Definition of the Science Technological. Replicating methods or duplicating the techniques and achieving the same results. Includes the documentation and reporting of procedural details.
11	Operational Definition of the Science Socially Significant. Behaviors important to the organism are altered for the better. Create new behavior (teach skills). Existing Behaviors are Increased.
12	Operational Definition of the Science Maintenance of new behavior (or behavior patterns). Generalize Behaviors across environments or conditions. Restrict the conditions in which a response occurs. Reduce Existing Behaviors.
13	Operational Definition of the Science Contextual. Persons physical condition. Environmental settings. Prior events. Simultaneous events. Context influences how variables effect behavior.
14	Operational Definition of the Science Accountable. Practitioners continue to address a problem until a solution is discovered. Goals are set with client needs foremost in mind. Clients are included in decision making process. Informed Consent is obtained and maintained throughout intervention.
15	Science of Behavior Determinism: The universe is a lawful, orderly place in which all phenomena occur as a result of other events. The ultimate products of [determinism] science is the objective description of phenomena under study and its functional relations.
16	Science of Behavior Empiricism: Empiricism is the objective observation, through thorough description and precise quantification, of phenomena. It is the foremost rule in the study of behavior and any effort to study behavior is dictated by the analyst’s skill in defining, observing and accurately recording behavior.
17	Science of Behavior Parsimony: Also known as The Law of Parsimony or essentially, rule out all simple explanations for the phenomena under study scientifically. The KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) rule.
18	Respondent Behavior & Respondent Conditioning Unlearned Stimulus è Response Relations: All organisms are born with certain stimulus è response relations. These are called reflexes. A reflex is comprised of both a stimulus and a response. Healthy members of the same species possess similar responses.
19	Respondent Behavior & Respondent Conditioning Respondent Conditioning: AKA Classical or Pavlovian conditioning. Meat Powder (US) è Salivation (UR). TONE (NS) + Meat Powder (US) è Salivation (UR). TONE (CS) è Salivation (CR).
20	Respondent Behavior & Respondent Conditioning Respondent conditioning model: US è UR NS + US è UR CS è UR
21	Respondent Behavior & Respondent Conditioning Learned Stimulus Response: Sè R relations (reflexes) can also be acquired over the lifetime of an organism through conditioning.
22	Respondent Behavior & Respondent Conditioning The capacity to develop new SèR relations was selected through evolution. If a stimulus is reliably present when another stimulus that already elicits a response occurs, this stimulus will come to elicit the same response. The process is termed respondent conditioning.
23	Respondent Behavior & Respondent Conditioning Conditioned Response: A response elicited by a stimulus only after prior training. Conditioned Reflex: SèR Relationship that is acquired over a lifetime.
24	Operant Behavior Operant Functional Relations: Refers to a change (increase or decrease) in the future probability of a behavior due to its consequences, naturally or contrived. Operant Behavior then is behavior whose probability (strength) is determined by its consequences.
25	Behavior Johnston & Pennypacker proposed the following definition. “The behavior of an organism is that portion of the organism’s interaction with it’s environment that is characterized by detectable displacements in space through time of some part of the organism and that results in measurable change in at least one aspect of the environment.”
26	Behavior Movement of the organism or any overt or covert action of a living organism. Essentially two types: Overt – muscular action that can be detected by others. Covert – muscular action or glandular secretion that is so subtle others do not readily detect it.
27	Behavior The dead man’s rule: Generally, anything a dead man can do is probably not a behavior (or target behavior).
28	Environment The conglomerate of real circumstances in which the organism or referenced part of the organism exists. The term may meaningfully include other parts or aspects of the organism distinct from that which is the object of specific inquiry. Thus, the term appropriately denotes a universe of events that differ from instance to instance. Johnston & Pennypacker (1980)
29	Stimuli Stimulus is any condition event or change in the physical world. Stimuli is constantly occurring both inside and outside the organism. Stimuli are colors, lights, sounds, people, places, things, tastes, etc. Stimuli effect receptors.
30	Reinforcement & Punishment Positive Reinforcement – Behavior is immediately followed by the addition of stimulus and this operation results in an increase in the future occurrence of the behavior. Negative Reinforcement – Behavior is followed by the escape from or avoidance of stimulus and this operation results in an increase in the future occurrence of the behavior.
31	Reinforcement & Punishment Type I Punishment – Punishment by contingent stimulation (stimulus is added). Type II Punishment – Punishment by contingent withdrawal of a positive reinforcer (stimulus is removed).
32	Reinforcement & Punishment
33	Reinforcement & Punishment Types of reinforcers and punishers. Unconditioned reinforcer. Unconditioned punisher. Conditioned reinforcers. Conditioned punishers.
34	The Three Term Contingency Stimulus è Response è Stimulus. SèRèS. Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence. Stimulus first sets the occasion upon which a specific response occurs. The response itself. The reinforcing consequences. The relationship between the the three are the contingencies of reinforcement.
35	The Three Term Contingency Antecedents: Stimuli that immediately precede a behavior. Through operant conditioning we begin to develop two types: S^D = Behavior is likely to occur. S^D = Behavior not likely to occur.
36	The Three Term Contingency EXAMPLE: S^D: Friends who typically use foul language. R: More likely to use foul language. S^D: Sisters of Charity who typically do not use foul language. R: Less likely to use foul language.
37	Behavior / Function The consequence that follows the behavior is seen as the overriding point of interest. Mediating this event, can be viewed as the “purpose” of the behavior. The relationship that exists between the behavior and stimulus that it mediates is the functional relationship.
38	A-B-C A = antecedents – things that occur prior to the behavior occurring; B = behavior – the behavior itself; and C = consequences – things that occur immediately following a behavior.
39	The Three term contingency as an Instructional Cycle Stimulus èResponseèStimulus. Presentation of stimuli. A response or (behavior) occurs. Punishing or Reinforcing stimulus is presented contingent on the topography of the response.
40	Stimuli / Stimulus Stimulus is any condition event or change in the physical world. Stimuli is constantly occurring both inside and outside the organism. Stimuli are colors, lights, sounds, people, places, things, tastes, etc. Stimuli effect receptors.
41	Response / Behavior A response is any single occurrence of behavior. Operant reinforcement acts to increase entire classes of behavior as opposed to only single responses within the class.
42	Response / Behavior Behavior. Movement of the organism or any overt or covert action of a living organism. Essentially two types: Overt – muscular action that can be detected by others. Covert – muscular action or glandular secretion that is so subtle others do not readily detect it.
43	Consequences Three major types of consequences: Natural consequences. Reinforcing Consequences (arranged by others or Socially Mediated). Punishing Consequences (arranged by others or Socially Mediated). Each can be furthered sub-divided.
44	Consequences Not all stimuli that follows a behavior can be called a consequence. Time is the major determinant of whether the stimuli is a consequence.
45	Consequences Stimuli must have a high level of contiguity in order to be considered a consequence. Stimuli delivered after long periods of time have passed, between response and intended consequences is only called a consequence when rule governed contingencies can be proven.
46	Inadequate Explanations of Behavior Teleological Referring to future as cause of current event (behavior) Future can't cause present behavior Must refer to past and present when talking about current behavior
47	Inadequate Explanations of Behavior Reification. Giving physical status to abstract or hypothesized event. Explanatory fiction (circular explanation). Inferring a cause from the same information that constitutes the effect. May be useful in describing a set of relatively stable environment.
48	Behavior Relations Not useful as an explanation. Diverts attention away from the true cause of behavior, the environment.
49	Explaining Behavior Refer to past and present circumstances Refer to physical events Cause can be determined independently of effect Involve functional relations
50	Explaining Behavior Manipulate dependent variable Observe changes in independent variable Repeat several times If IV and DV vary together, functional relation
51	Automatic-Positive Reinforcement Reinforcement need not be arranged by others, but occurs automatically. Behavior reliably produces stimulation that serves as it own reinforcement. Reinforcing events are produced automatically by the behavior (Skinner, 1969).
52	Automatic-Negative Reinforcement Termination of ongoing stimulus events need not be arranged by others. Behavior reliably terminates ongoing aversive stimulation.
53	Socially Mediated Positive Reinforcement Behavior reliably produces a response from those in the immediate vicinity. Reinforcing events are delivered by another person.
54	Socially Mediated Negative Reinforcement Behavior reliably produces termination of ongoing stimulus events by others in the immediate vicinity. Events are removed, attenuated, or prevented by others contingent on behavior.
55	Escape / Avoidance When a response terminates aversive stimulation, the response is escape maintained. When a response avoids the onset of aversive stimulation, the response is avoidance maintained. These conditions are reinforcers.
56	Sensory When a response provides some sensory stimulation the response is sensory maintained (automatically maintained). A production or reduction of sensory stimulation is reinforcing.
57	Access to Tangibles Obviously, many responses are maintained through the access to tangibles. This area may include food, drink, activities or specific objects.
58	Identifying the Instructional Cycle at work. Tommy is a young non-verbal child who often bites his teachers during class. During instructional cycles each time he begins to aggress (bite) the classroom aides and teachers come to Tommy and try to calm him down. Recently the teachers have noticed that Tommy is biting more often.
59	StimulusèResponseèStimulus Stimulus. Tommy begins an instructional cycle. Response. Tommy bites his teachers. Stimulus (Consequence). Tommy receives attention from teachers. Tommy escapes tasks that have been presented.
60	Planned Intervention Each time that Tommy has an aggressive outburst teachers will calm Tommy down and re-direct him to work. Once Tommy begins to work again he will receive a token. At the end of the day Tommy may trade in all tokens that he earns for valuable prizes.
61	Results of first intervention Tommy had an increase in biting from an average of 30 times per instruction cycle (15 minutes) to an average of 80 times per instructional cycle.
62	What went wrong? No evidence of rule governed behavior. Tokens were only presented contingent on calming down, which only occurred after aggressive outbursts. No clear consequence for initial disruptive (aggressive) behavior.
63	New Plan Tommy is required to give one response followed by a favorite edible and a short break that mirrors the amount of time for the initial response. Initial Responses included. Looking at teachers when name was called. Sitting at his desk when asked to do so. Picking up favored items from his desk (toys, etc.).
64	New Plan Tommy is then required to give two to three responses concurrently followed by an edible + social reinforcer and a short break equal to one half the length of the task response.
65	New Plan Tommy is required to work for 5 minutes followed by an edible reinforcer paired with social praise and a 45 second break at his desk. The occurrence of disruptive behavior resets the cycle.
66	Identifying the Instructional Cycle at work. Suzy is a young lady who is verbal and usually does very well in school. During the time of the day when Suzy is moving from one activity to another she often had behavioral issues. The autism expert in school suggested that the teachers use a picture schedule to assist Suzy to transition from one activity to another.
67	Identifying the Instructional Cycle at work. The teachers would assist Suzy to find her schedule and identify the next activity, then Suzy was expected to transition to the next activity. Suzy immediately demonstrated far less issues with transition in school, with the exception of those few occasions when the teacher was unable to assist Suzy with the schedule.
68	StimulusèResponseèStimulus Identify the parts of the instructional cycle at work here? Why is the picture schedule successful most of the time. When the picture schedule is unsuccessful, why is it unsuccessful? What could be done to improve Suzy’s transitioning skills.
69	What is the functional relationship? Johnny asks his mother for a cupcake and his mother tells him after dinner. Johnny begins to cry and while sobbing pleads with his mother to give him the cupcake. His mother says “NO” and then Johnny begins to scream and finally holds his breath laying on the floor. Upon turning blue, Johnny’s mother says; OK, take the cupcake, but you better eat all of your dinner.
70	What is the functional relationship? Christina is told when she sits down for dinner that after dinner she will be expected to assist her brother with clean up and the dishes. During dinner Christina complains of “not feeling well” and excuses herself to lay down. Her brother and mother complete the cleanup and dishes. Later Christina feels better and attends the movies with her friends.
71	What is the functional relationship? Bob sits at a table and laments about his hunger. His mother tells him to make himself something to eat. Bob says, “there isn’t anything here to eat” and his mother responds that there is plenty to eat and he must make something. Bob insists that there is nothing available to eat. Bob’s mother then comes to kitchen and begins to point items out that can be prepared. Bob agrees that there are items and his mother prepares his choice of food.
72	How would you proceed? Larry is a 33 year old adult with severe developmental disabilities. Larry is non-verbal and has few functional skills. Larry is referred to you because he is engaging in SIB and often hits himself in the face so often and hard that his face is constantly swollen, bruised and can from time to time bleed. His hits are delivered to one spot on the front of his chin just below the nose and often his teeth smash together during these episodes.