Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Punishment

• Course BBP 182, Lecture 2 focuses on an introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
• Exam review is part of the agenda along with reviewing punishment.

Course Due Dates

• Review #2 is due February 23 (10%).
• There is no lecture during the week of February 25 (Reading Week).
• The Mid-Term Exam is on March 6th (20%) and will be online.

Defining Punishment (ABA)

• In ABA, punishment involves an immediate consequence after a response.
• Punishment is a response-consequence contingency that reduces the future occurrence of undesirable behavior.
• Punishment occurs in specific situations

Defining Punishment (Common Sense)

• Punishment is commonly perceived as deserved vengeance, often associated with the prison system and tickets.
• Punishment as retribution aims to repay a debt to society or teach a lesson.
• Punishment does not necessarily decrease future occurrence.
• Punishment may not occur immediately after the behavior.

Definition of Punishment

• Punishment involves a functional relationship between a behavior and its consequence.
• The response is followed immediately by a stimulus/consequence.
• The stimulus results in a decrease in the future frequency of similar responses/behavior.

Positive Punishment

• Positive punishment involves the presentation of a stimulus or an increase in the intensity of an already present stimulus immediately after a behavior.
• This leads to a decrease in the frequency of an undesirable behavior "Bx."

Negative Punishment

• Negative punishment involves the termination of an already present stimulus or a decrease in the intensity of an already present stimulus immediately after a behavior.
• The removal of a positive reinforcer requires that the motivating operation (MO) for the reinforcer is in effect.
• Negative punishment results in a decrease in the frequency of Bx.
• Negative punishment includes the contingent loss of a reinforcer immediately following a target behavior and removal of opportunities to receive a reinforcer for a designated period like time-out or confiscation.

Reinforcement and Punishment Compared

• Positive reinforcement involves presenting a preferred stimulus after a response which increases future frequency of behavior (reward).
• Positive punishment involves presenting an aversive stimulus after a response which decreases future frequency of behavior (reprimand).
• Negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus after a response which increases future frequency of behavior (relief).
• Negative punishment involves removing a preferred stimulus after a response which decreases future frequency of behavior (time-out).

Positive Punishment vs Negative Reinforcement

• Positive punishment gives an aversive stimulus after a respnse, decreasing future occurrence of that behavior.
• Negative reinforcement removes an aversive stimulus after a response, increasing future occurrence of that behavior.

Example of Positive Punishment vs Negative Reinforcement

• In a police-controlled state, speaking out against the government results in getting beaten (positive punishment).
• Lying about true feelings avoids being beaten (negative reinforcement).

Discriminative Stimulus for Punishment

• Sd(p) = Grandma in kitchen before dinner
• Response = Reach into cookie jar
• Sp = Grandma scolds.
• Sd(p) = Seagulls present at picnic
• Response = Leave food uncovered
• Sp = Seagulls fly away with food

Unconditioned Punisher

• Definition: a stimulus that functions as punishment without any prior learning.
• Evolutionary histories of animals
• Motivating operations do not necessarily play a role here

Conditioned Punisher

• Definition: a stimulus change that functions as punishment due to paired learning or as a result of a person's conditioning history.
• Stimulus-stimulus pairing with either an unconditioned or conditioned punisher
• Example: Tone -> shock

Physical Punishers

• Physical punishers activate pain receptors within the brain (nociceptors).
• Examples of physical punishers are spanking, hitting, slapping, pinching, extreme cold and heat, loud sounds, and electric shocks.
• Bad smells (don't activate pain receptors)
• These are all unconditioned punishers**

Positive Punishment: Reprimand

• Positive punishments involve strong negative verbal stimuli, which are conditioned punishers, presented immediately after the target behavior.
• Examples of reprimands are "NO!," "STOP," or "That is bad behavior."
• Body language when giving reprimands should be stern, firm, and fixed.

Time-out

• A tine-out is the removal of a reinforcing stimulus for a specified time contingent on the occurrence of a behavior, which reduces the future frequency of the behavior.
• During a time-out, there is no access to reinforcers.
• Time-out includes withdrawal of opportunity to earn positive reinforcement and loss of access to positive reinforcers contingent on problem behavior.

Exclusion-Time-Out

• An exclusionary timeout briefly removes an individual from a reinforcing situation following a target behavior.
• Delivery methods of exclusion time-out include removing an individual to a 'time-out room', separating them from the rest of the group by partition, or placing them in a hallway.

Non-Exclusion Time-Out

• During non-exclusion time-out, access to reinforcement is lost while the individual remains in the current setting where the problem behavior occurred.
• An example of non-exclusion time-out is when children who lose their ribbons do not get to participate in activities and are ignored by the teacher.
• Misbehaving at recess results in standing with an adult for 5 minutes.
• Talking out loud during teaching time results in being "Ineligible to earn reinforcers for 5 minutes."

Guidelines for Effective Use of Punishment

• Alternative behavior must compete with the behavior to be punished so it can be reinforced
• Provide strong prompts for alternative behavior to occur
• Have a strong reinforcement schedule to increase alternative behavior
• Eliminate any possible reinforcement for the undesirable behavior
• The punisher should not be paired with any positive reinforcement
• Provide instructions about the use of punishment
• Deliver the punisher immediately in every applicable instance, and stay calm

Guidelines for Punishment

• Punishment is not a threat
• The least intensity of punishment is effective and should be used first
• Determine and use the optimum level of punishment
• Increasing punishment over time is less effective than an initial optimum level
• Test the punishment on yourself first

Ethical Guidelines for Implementing Punishment

• Adhere to the right to safe and humane treatment, ensuring no harm.
• Utilize the least restrictive alternative.
• Provide the right to effective treatment.
• Adhere to punishment policies and implement safeguards.