Stimulus Control

1
Stimulus Control

• The development of a stimulus as a signal for the
  occurrence of a specified response
• The signal indicates the availability of positive
  reinforcement for that response
• The reinforcement is available only in the
  presence of the stimulus and only when that
  response is made

2
Generalization

• A naïve organism, when encountering a stimulus,
  will not know what that stimulus signifies
• The organism might respond randomly and
  inconsistently to that stimulus
• The stimulus does not exert control over the
  behavior
• Many different responses might occur in the
  presence of a stimulus

3
Discrimination

• The act of differential responding to stimuli
• A response occurs only in the presence of a
  particular stimulus
• Certain responses will be reinforced in the
  presence of the stimulus
• The response will only be reinforced in the
  presence of that stimulus
• Other responses will not be reinforced in the
  presence of the stimulus

4
Discriminative Stimuli

• Those stimuli which signal the availability of
  reinforcement for specified responses are known
  as discriminative stimuli
• Other responses that might occur in the presence
  of the stimulus will not be reinforced
• Ultimately, only those responses that are
  reinforced in the presence of a discriminative
  stimulus will occur when that stimulus is
  presented

5
Stimulus Control in the Classroom

• The manner in which desks are arranged in the
  classroom will make a difference in the kinds of
  activities that are fostered in that environment

6
Van Dyke Houses

• Buildings are isolated from each other as are
  individual apartments
• Sense of isolation develops in tenants, lack of
  community spirit
• Apathy toward living environment
• Increase in crime

7
Brownsville Houses

• Have an exposed stairway
• Apartment units grouped, share common vestibule,
  staircase

8
Brownsville Houses

• Exterior areas are under possible observation
  from apartments
• Provides security and increasing resident use and
  responsibility

9
Problems of Distraction

• Many people put in the time studying but much of
  that time is spent in distraction

10
Procrastination is often a problem of stimulus
control

• The desk serves as a discriminative stimulus for
  anything but studying

11
A Typical Dieters Daily Food Intake

• Breakfast 1/2 Grapefruit
  1 slice whole wheat
  toast 8 oz. Skim milk
• Lunch 4 oz. lean
  broiled chicken breast 1 cup steamed zucchini
• 1 Oreo cookie

• Mid Afternoon snack Rest of the Oreos package
  1qt. Rocky Road ice cream 1
  jar hot fudge
• Dinner
• 2 loaves of garlic bread 1 large
  pepperoni pizza 1large pitcher of
  beer 3 Milky Way candy bars
  1 frozen cheesecake

12
Overeating or Inactivity?

• Many problems of weight control involve low
  levels of activity as much as they do overeating

13
Overeating Problems

• The presence of food cues
• The immediate reinforcement it provides
• The positive reinforcement of good taste
  
• The negative reinforcement of making us
  feel better when we are sad,
  anxious, etc.
• The long delay of negative effects
• It can be done anywhere

14
Leading a More Active Lifestyle

• Exercise does not have to be structured and in a
  special place (gym), but can be incorporated into
  everyday life
• Using stairs instead of elevators, walking
  instead of driving short distances, etc. are all
  calorie burners

15
Developing Healthy Eating Habits I

• Do not go on a diet but change the way you eat
  on a permanent basis
• Stimulus narrowing eat only in specified
  places and nowhere else
• Eat small meals often rather than 2 or 3 big
  ones
• Eat only when you are hungry stop and think
  before you eat
• Proceed slowly, expecting to lose no more than
  6 to 8 pounds per month
• Keep a journal of everything eaten, including
  what, how much, when, where, and how you felt

16
Developing Healthy Eating Habits II Grocery
Shopping

• Make a list of needed items before you go
• Do not take checks, ATM, or credit cards
• Take just the amount of cash you feel will be
  needed to pay for the items on the list
• Do not grocery shop when you are hungry
• Avoid aisles with snack and junk food that you
  do not need

17
Developing Healthy Eating Habits III What to Do
With Food at Home

• Once food is in the house, put it away,
  preferably out of sight
• The more difficult it is to get to or prepare,
  the less likely it will be eaten
• Keep a journal of everything eaten, including
  what, how much, when, where, and how you felt
• Eat only in one place and not while engaged in
  any other activity
• When anything is eaten, put out a full place
  setting and then clean it up

18
Developing Healthy Eating Habits IV Preparing
and Eating Meals

• Prepare only as much food as will be necessary
  for the meal
• Do not overly sample while preparing
• Serve portions onto plates do not place bowls
  or pans of food on the table
• Any leftover food should be put away or
  discarded before sitting down to eat
• Eat slowly

19
Preparing and Eating Meals, contd

• Stimulus narrowing eat only in specified
  places and nowhere else
• Eat small meals often rather than 2 or 3 big
  ones
• Eat only when you are hungry stop and think
  before you eat Do I really need this food?
• Stop eating when you are full
• Do not totally deprive yourself of any
  favorite food but allow small amounts of it once
  in a while

20
Developing Healthy Eating Habits V At Other
Times

• Be as active as possible set up regular
  exercise
• Have a support group, perhaps friends with
  similar problems, you can talk to during times of
  temptation
• Get your family and close friends to support
  your efforts
• Do not weigh often, only about once a week, as
  weight loss will be slow and uneven
• Expect occasional setbacks dont be
  discouraged just get back on track as soon as
  possible

21
Prompting

• Presenting a discriminative stimulus for a
  response that is used to induce a desirable
  response or to discourage an undesirable response

22
Varieties of Prompts

• Verbal Prompts spoken or written words intended
  to induce a desired behavior (instructions,
  advice, or commands
• Gestural prompts physical movements previously
  established as discriminative stimuli for
  specific behaviors
• Picture or symbolic prompts a stimulus that
  illustrates a behavior
• Physical prompts induces correct responding by
  manually guiding the persons movements

23
Advantages and Disadvantages of Prompting

• Advantage Desired behaviors can be quickly
  induced with relatively little effort
• Disadvantage The prompts can become a crutch
  and must then be eliminated