Behavioral Paradigm

1
Behavioral Paradigm

• Human Behavior is learned
• Observable stimuli and behavior is of paramount
  importance
• Diagnostic labels may be independent of treatment
  procedures
• Utility of intervention procedures is judged
  empirically
• Operant behavior is controlled by antecedent and
  consequent events

2
Increasing and Decreasing Behavior

• 1) used to improve academic performance --
  breaks down tasks into parts, then teach by
  providing prompts and reinforcement for correct
  responses
• 2) improve student behavior related to
  academic performance
• 3) increase socially desirable behaviors
  reduce behaviors considered undesirable

3
Methods of Increasing Behavior

• Positive Reinforcement -- consequence of a
  behavior that increases the future rate of that
  behavior
• Reinforcement programs
• tangibles/edibles
• contingent activities
• social reinforcement
• token reinforcement
• Negative Reinforcement -- cessation of an
  aversive stimulus contingent upon a specified
  response

4
Methods of Decreasing Behavior

• Extinction -- deliberately ignoring a behavior to
  reduce it
• Punishment -- consequence of a behavior that
  reduces its future probability
• Differential reinforcement of alternative
  behaviors (DRA)
• Differential reinforcement of other behavior
  (DRO)
• Differential reinforcement of low rates of
  responding (DRL)

5
Alternatives to Punishment

• 1) Differential Reinforcement of Alternative
  Behaviors (DRA)
• ...alternative behaviors are reinforced,
  undesired behaviors ignored (i.e.,
  extinguished)
• Hint Alternative behaviors need to occur
  during some preintervention level, behaviors
  may need to be incompatible

6
Alternatives to Punishment

• 2) Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of
  Behaviors (DRL)
• ...behaviors that occur no more than a
  specified amount in a given time period are
  reinforced
• Hint The higher the rate of undesirable
  behavior, the more viable DRL becomes

7
Alternatives to Punishment

• 3) Differential Reinforcement of Other
  Behaviors (DRO)
• ...engaging in any response other than the
  undesirable behavior for a specified interval
  of time
• Hint Reinforcement is presented at the end
  of the interval only if the target behavior has
  not occurred