A=Antecedent 

B=Behavior

C=Consequences

Discipline

Actions that seek to improve behavior in some way by increasing skills or competence in a given area.

Increases the probability that the behavior it follows will reoccur.

Decreases the probability

that the behavior it follows will reoccur.

Something given to a person for an accomplishment.  May or may not be a positive reinforcer.

Performance Based-concerned with students behavior and the ways in which enviornmental factors affect it's expression.

Principles of Behavior-derived from both laboratory and field studies that have identified lawful relations between the behavior and the enviornmental variables that affect its occurance.

Analytic-functional relations between an intervention and a traget behavior can be demonstrated.

Applied-characterized by the social importance of the behavior to be changed.  Will the behavior we are trying to change enhance the quality of the students' lives

1.reduces the liklihood of our introducing error into the behavior management process.

2. direct and continuous counting reduces the liklihood of our either prematurally terminating an effective intervention or unduly continuing an effective one.

1. Who can make the observations?  anyone who is resonsible enough to be accurate and who knows the precise behavior to count.

2. What will be observed?  Target behavior must have a movement cycle-a beginning and an end. 

3. Where will the observation take place?  A teacher will decide this depending on the pinpointed behavior.

4. How will it be recorded?  There are sevral different techniques to record counts.  Each is appropriate for different types of behaviors.

Factors to consider when

pinpointing a target behavior

1. Stranger test- the behavior has been operationally defined. (movement cycle exists if a behavior has a specific beginning and end).

2. The So What test-is there evidence that that some behavior is presntly of protentially harmful to the students own ortheir peers social, physical, emotional or academic well being.

3. Fair Pair-targeting an appropriate behavior to increase when we target an inappropriate behavior to decrease.

4. Dead Man's test-can a dead man peform the target behavior?

Techniques for recording behavior 

1. Permanent product

2. Frequency recording

3. Duration recording

4. Latency recording

5. Interval recording

6. Time sampling

Counting the by-product of a student's behavior

Appropriate for behaviors that leave a by-product that can later be counted

Counting the number of times

a target behavior occurs

Appropriate for behaviors with a short movement cycle; inappropriate for high-rate behaviors or those occuring over an extended time.

Measuring how long it takes for a

behavior to be performed.

Appropriate for behaviors that occur infrequently but continue for long periods.

Measuring how long it takes for a behavior to be performed.

Appropriate for assessing how long it takes a student to begin a behavior

once given a direction.

Measuring the occurence or non-occurence of a behavior within specified intervals

Provides an estimate of both frequency and duration; easy to use but requires the observer's undivided attention.

Does not require the observer's undivided attention; allows for longer interval lengths than interval recording

Graphing behavior

Elements of a Graph

1. Graphing data provides us with immediate feedback on students' behavior when the numbers obtained are plotted immediately after the observation.  

2.  Plotting data points on a graph and connecting them with a line allows us to visually examine trends in student's behavior.  These trends are important for making desicions as to whether an intervention should be continued, discontinued, or modified.

3.  Graphing data provides a vehicle for others to independently judge the effectiveness of an intervention.

4.  Graphs represent an important source of feedback for students regarding their behavior.

AB design

The AB design is one of the most basic designs. AB refers to the phases of the design:

1. A or baseline phase

2. B or intervention phase

The major advantage of the AB design is that it is simple to use

The major disadvantage is that it is impossible to rule out alternative explanations for any behavior change that takes place during intervention.

Commonly referred to as reversal or withdrawal design-

temporarily removing the intervention in order to evaluate its effects on students' behavior.

1. A 1   Initial baseline-collect behavioral observations on the target behavior under circumstances that existed prior to the intervention.

2. B 1   Intervention is implemented.

3. A 2   Return to original baseline conditions by withdrawing the intervention

4. B 2   Reintroducingthe intervention to see if the original change in behavior can be replicated.

Advantages to ABAB design

1. Allows us to determine a functional relation between the intervention and any changes in the target behavior.

2. It is a method of providing accountability.

3. It can be used as a teaching tool.

4. It may help us move students away from continuous schedules of reinforcement toward more intermittenet.

1. When the target behavior is dangerous.

2. When the target behavior is not reversible.  For example, academic behaviors-information cannot be unlearned,

The KEY to understanding functional assessment is to view it as traditional assessment in reverse.

Intervene first-manipulate enviornment in order to determine what purpose the behavior serves.

Behavior is affected by context

Behavior is purposeful

Replacement behaviors need to be taught

Describes the relation between the behavior exhibited and the outcome desired.

The function a behavior serves may be appropriate, but the form it takes may be innappropriate.

Not all conceptualizations of behavioral intent focus on positive and negative reinforcement.

Replacement behaviors need to be taught-

replacement behaviors are appropriate behaviors that allow students to obtain the same outcomes as an inappropriate behavior.

Behavioral support plans are incomplete if they do not include replacement behaviors that students can be taught and reinfrced for displaying.

1.  Functional

2.  Contextual

3.  Curricular

-A major emphasis of functional assessment is on generating hypotheses related to the fuction, or intent, a behavior serves.

-Functional hypothesis tend to lead to interventions that address replacement strategy training.

-Functional hypothesis are most likely to address the issue of Social Validity-the extent to which the outcomes of intervention enhance the quality of students' lives.

Contextual Hypotheses

1.  Contextual manipulations (antecendents & consequences) ususally result in rapid changes in behavior.

2.  Contextual manipulations are typically within the control of teachers and can usually be designed so that they are implemented with little disruption to classroom routines and activities.

Curricular hypotheses focus on identifying the types of curricular, task, and instructional demands that may prompt the occurance of inappropriate behavior.

-choice making

-length of task

-type of task

-task difficulty

Process of Developing Hypothesis

1. Pinpoint a behavior or concern

2. Interview adults, peers, and the student of concern to determine enviornmental factors that affect behavior.

3.  Directly observe the target behavior in a natural setting.

4.  Refine the definition of the behavior and generate hypotheses.

Define a behavior so that it's occurrences and nonoccurences can be reliably noted.

-an operational definition of behavior should include its topography (appearance), frequency (number), duration (length), and intensity (severity).

Interviews focus on two core questions:

1.  Under what conditions or circumstances is the behavior most likely to occur?

2.  Under what conditions or circumstances does the behavior rarely or never occur?

Behavioral observation charts- confirm information acquired through interviews and also to identify any discrepencies.  

Scatter Plot

A-B-C analysis

Protocol-

1. operationally defines behavior

2. identifying setting events and fuctions (intents) associated with the occurance of the behavior

3. conducting a systematic observation of the behavior.

Testing hypotheses by systematically manipulating contextual and curricular variables and teaching a replacement behavior while observing these effects on the behavior.

1. operationally define the target behavior

2. select a recording technique for observing and counting the target behavior

3. observe the target behavior before and after manipulating variables

4. graph the results of observations to provide a visual representation of the effect of the manipulations.

1. Operationaly define the target behavior.

2. Select a recording technique for observing and counting the target behavior.

3. Observe the target behavior before and after manipulating variables (curricular, contextual, functional).

4. Graph the results of behavioral observations to provide a visual representation of the effects of the manipulations.

1. Time gap is bridged between behavior and backup reinforcer

2. The amount of reinforcement is immediately obvious to students

3. Tokens are unaffected by the mood of the praiser

4. Tokens make use of generalized conditioned  reinforcers

5. Token provide stimuli that control teacher behavior

1. Select a target behavior

2. Develop rules

3. Select an appropriate token

4. Establish reinforcers for which tokens can be exchanged

5. Establish a ratio of exchange

6. Develop a reward menu and post it in the classroom

7. Design a time when students can exchange tokens for rewards

8. Implement the token economy

9. Provide immediate token reinforcements for acceptable behavior

10. Gradually change from a continuous to a variable schedule of reinforcement

11. Revise the menu frequently

The initial ratio between the number of tokens earned and the price of backup items should be small so as to ensure that students enjoy immediate success.

1. behavioral contracts focus on rule-governed behavior.

2. contracts are made public

3. students are equal participants in the process

4. the behaviors of everyone are specified

Serves two purposes:

1. recording task completion and rewrd delivery sets the occasion for both parties to look at and be reminded of the contract regularly.

2. marks can be made on a record to help the child remain on task until the assignment is completed and the reward is earned.

1. select one or two behaviors

2. describe the behaviors so they may be observed and counted

3. identify rewards that will help provide motivation to do well

4. locate people who can help you keep track of the behaviors being performed and give out rewards

5. write the contract so everyone can understand it

6. collect data

7. troubleshoot the system if the data do not show improvement

8. rewrite the contract

9. continue to monitor,troubleshoot and rewrite until there is improvement

10. select another behavior to work on

Rules for succesful contracting

Rule 1

Contracts must be fair-

the type and amount of the award must be equal to the amount of behavior the student is required to perform.

Rule 2

Contracts must be clear-

will include behaviors of students and participating adults that pass the stranger test and have task standards.  Rewards should be stated in equally specific terms.

Rule 3

Contracts must be honest-

the reward should be delivered at the specified time and in the specified amount after the student completes the task or behavior. 

Dependent Group Oriented-

consequences for a group of students depend on the performance of one member, or perhaps a small subsection of the group (hero procedure).

Independent Group Oriented-

those in effect for the student regardless of the performance of the group (reinforcement is under students control).

Interdependent Group Oriented-

reinforcement is based upon the performance of the whole group

(good behavior game).

1. They save us time and reduce our workload

2. They are useful in situations which individual interventions are impractical

3. They help resolve problems quickly when used during a lesson that demands high levels of student engagement

4. They capitalize on using peer influence positively

1. Have the target child's name remain anonymous

2. Adjust the criteria for the group oriented contingency (criterion for 80% average for the group)

3. Increase the criteria for students who are scapegoating

4. Reinforce students who do not engage in scapegoating

5. Implement a response cost for students who are scapegoating

Novel Applications of Positive Reinforcement

1. Chart Moves

2. Spinners

3. Raffles 7 Lotteries

4. 100 square charts

5. Mystery Motivators

6. The Compliance Matrix

1. DRO reset schedule-the interval is reset every time the behavior occurs

2. DRO fixed interval schedule-the interval is fixed and reinforcement is delivered at the end of each interval during which the behavior does not occur

3. DRO increasing interval schedule-one way of fading reinforcement by gradually increasing the length of the interval

4. DRO progressive schedule-the interval length remains the same but the amount of reinforcement increases

Schedule of DRL

Differential reinforcement of

low rates of behavior

1. DRL-IRT the target behavior is reinforced following a specified interval since the previous episode.

2. DRL-below criterion schedule involves determining the average number of times the target behavior is typically exhibited during a certain interval of time.

The Free Access Rule involves determining how much students might want of a particular reinforcement if there are no limits on its availability.

Inter response Time (IRT)

The time that passes between the occurances of appropriate behavior.

Calculate-

the number of times the behavior occurs

Divided by

the total time a DRO schedule is to be in effect

Undesirable Side Effects of Punishment

1. Escape and Avoidance- (learned helplessness)

2. Emotional Reaction-anxiety and fear that interfere with learning

3. Agression-lash out or imitate

4. Response Substitution-one inappropriate behavior is suppressed and anothe inappropriate behavior is occurs

5. Response Facilitation-the occurance of some behaviors increases rather than decreases after the application of the aversive stimulus

6. Generalized Suppression-a behavior that is supressed by being punished in the presence of one stimulus may be supressed in other situations (response genralization)

7. Punishment contrast-a behavior suppressed through punishment in one situtation increases in another

Does not teach appropriate behaviors

Does not eleminate reinforcement

May become reinforcing

May affect peers behavior

Should be intense (unethical)

Should be immediate

Should be continuous

Response cost is based on contingent withdrawal of a positive reinforcer-

Lottery works well with students who have mild or occasional behavior problems.  

-students receive 5 tickets each; will lose a ticket every time the engage in one of three innappropriate behaviors posted up on board. Remaining tickets are placed in a grab bag and mixed up,draw 4 or 4 tickets and those students get a reward.

Behavioral Principles for Time Out

Time Out refers  to the removal of students from the enviornment in which they are misbehaving.

Based on the behavioral principle of Extinction.

Planned ignoring-mildest; applies the behavioral principle of extinction.(catch students being good)

Reduction of response maintenence stimuli-principle of differential reinforcement and the fair pair (can be used with group oriented cont.).

Planned ignoring plus restraint-physically holding student while simultaneously withholding all other reinforcers (extinction).

Contingent observation-moving students who misbehave away from activity to a place where they can observe but not participate.

Exclusion-physically removing student from the time in setting.

Seclusion-placing student in a specifically constructed room that often has a locked door.

Overcorrection

focus on training students in the use of appropriate behaviors

to take responsibilty for their actions

Restitutional Overcorrection-restore enviornment to the state superior to before the misbehavior.

Positive Practice-repeatedly practice an appropriate behavior topographically related to the misbehavior.

Simple correction-restore enviornment to original state prior to behavior.

Contingent excercise-perform behavior that is not topographically realted to the misbahavior (swear at teacher:do 20 push ups)

Quiet Training-student to lie down with until calm for a specific amount of time.

Negative Practice-repeatedly engage in the negative behavior.

Stimulus Satiation-repeatedly exposing students to the antecedents of their misbehavior.

Antecedents

Behavior

Consequences

Principles related to Increasing behavior

positive reinforement

premack principle

shaping

stimulus-response chain

backward chaining

conditioned reinforcement

negative reinforcement

avoidance conditioning

schedules of reinforcement

Positive reinforcement

any stimulus that when presented after the occurence of a behavior INCREASES the future occurence of the behavior. 

Ignore Innapropriate behavior

Consistently ignore undesirable behaviors-extinction

not when behavior is dangerous or offensive

peers must also ignore

student may be reinforcing himself

failure to do so may result in inappropritae behavior inadvertantly being reinforced-

superstitious behavior-when a reinforcer and a non targeted behavior are paired.

if-then

conditioning occurs when student makes the association that certain behaviors reslut in reinforcement.

A high probablity behavior is contingent on the occurence of a low probablity behavior

"Mom's Rule"

positive reinforcement is effective when students have access to it only after performing the desired behavior.

Satiation-occurs when students have experienced the reinforcer to such an extent that it no longer is reinforcing

Deprivation-the time prior to a students receiving positive reinforcement