Behavior Chains and Task Analysis

Behavior Chain

• A behavior chain involves a linked sequence of responses that lead to a terminal outcome.
• Each response leads to a stimulus change.
• Every stimulus change acts as a conditioned reinforcement for that response.
• Each stimulus change then becomes a discriminative stimulus (SD) for the next response in the chain.
• Reinforcement for the last response maintains the effectiveness of stimulus changes from previous responses.
• Behavior chains involve a specific series of discrete responses.
• The performance of each behavior produces a reinforcing stimulus change for the preceding behavior.
• The performance of each behavior produces a discriminative stimulus for the next behavior.
• In behavior chains, responses must be performed in a specific sequence and close temporal succession.

Factors Affecting Behavior Chains

• A task analysis involves a step by step guide to completing a series of tasks
• Learning a chain is more difficult if the elements are not sequenced correctly.
• It is also harder if the corresponding discriminative stimuli are not identified for each response.
• Planning and training are two key points to consider when attempting to develop a task analysis
• Start training with the expectation that adjustments or more intrusive prompts will be needed.
• Longer or more complex behavior chains take more time to learn than shorter or less complex chains.
• A chain is easier to maintain if an appropriate schedule of reinforcement is in place.
• When defining the reinforcement, consider the number of responses in a chains.
• If possible, introduce all possible stimulus variations the learner will encounter.
• Response variation should occur to produce the same effect when stimulus variations occur.

Problems in a Behavior Chain

• An SD and response might occur out of sequence and still get reinforced. In that cause, reexamine the sequences present and rearrange as needed.
• Similar SDs might evoke a different, incorrect response. Rearrange the problematic SDs to mitigate confusion.
• Irrelevant SDs in the natural setting might control responding. Teach the learner to discriminate relevant critical components from irrelevant ones via discrimination training.
• SDs in the natural setting could be different from those in the training setting. Incorporate natural SDs into the training environment when possible. Conduct some training in the natural environment
• Novel stimuli in the environment may compete or interfere with responding; therefore incorporate these stimuli into the training environment and start discrimination training

Extinction: Basic Concepts

• Extinction is a procedure where reinforcement of a previously reinforced behavior is discontinued.
• A main result of extinction is that the occurrence of the behavior decreases in the future.
• Extinction does not prevent the target behavior from occurring.
• Extinction terminates the response-reinforcer relation to decrease behavior.
• If extinction form matches the function of problem behavior, the intervention is usually very effective.
• Extinction should only be used to identify withholding the reinforcer for a previously reinforced behavior.
• Extinction should also identify a decreasing response rate under an extinction procedure.
• Extinction should also identify the functional relation between withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior and the resultant diminishing rate of response

Misuses of Extinction

• These include using extinction to refer to any decrease in behavior
• These include confusing forgetting and extinction
• These include confusing response blocking and sensory extinction
• These include confusing noncontingent reinforcement and extinction

Extinction as a Behavior Change Procedure

• The statement "We used extinction to treat" refers to extinction as a behavior change procedure.
• "Yoshiaki's inappropriate call-outs" is correct if the procedure withheld the previous sources of reinforcement for those call-outs.
• That statement is incorrect if procedure withheld presumed sources of reinforcement.

Extinction as a Behavioral Process

• "Yoshiaki's call-outs are undergoing extinction" statement is correct if it describes a decreasing rate of response during treatment with withheld reinforcement.
• That statement is incorrect if it describes a decreasing rate of response during treatment with withheld presumed reinforcement.
• "Extinction decreased Yoshiaki's call-outs" is correct only if an experimental analysis demonstrated a functional relation between the extinction procedure and the decreased occurrence of the behavior.

More Extinction Semantic Examples

• "Audrey's second-language skills have extinguished" is correct only if Audrey's attempts to speak Italian since her last language class produced no reinforcement.
• If Audrey's Italian was weakened by the passage of time and she had no opportunities to speak language, then statement confused extinction with forgetting.
• Because of that, "I recommend escape extinction as treatment" correctly identifies escape extinction as the function-based form of extinction and describes a procedure for implementing it.
• "We have been extinguishing Jeremy's eye rubbing" probably confuses response blocking with extinction.

Types of Extinction (Reinforcement)

• Behaviors maintained by positive reinforcement are placed on extinction when behaviors do not produce the reinforcer.
• For negative reinforcement, behaviors are placed on extinction when they do not produce removal of an aversive stimulus. That is also called escape extinction
• Behaviors maintained by automatic reinforcement are placed on extinction by masking or removing the sensory consequence and is also called sensory extinction.

Secondary Effects of Extinction

• One effect is an extinction burst, which is the immediate increase in rate of response after removing the reinforcement.
• Problem behaviors can worsen during extinction before improvement is shown.
• Another effect is response variation with diverse/novel behaviors observed during extinction.
• This is called extinction-induced variability.
• Initial increase in response magnitude - an increase may occur during the early stages of extinction
• Spontaneous Recovery - Short-lived reappearance of behavior after it has diminished entirely to pre-reinforcement levels
• Resurgence - Reoccurrence of a previously reinforced behavior when the reinforcement for an alternative behavior is terminated or decreased

Secondary Effects Cont.

• Three-phase procedure of resurgence happens when a target behavior has been enforced, followed by placeent on extinction, and then an alternative behavior happens
• Emotional Outbursts and Aggression when placing a behavior on extinction. This may evoke other emotional or aggressive behaviors.

Variables Affecting Resistance to Extinction

• Resistance to extinction is continued responding during an extinction procedure.
• Three ways to measure resistance to extinction include declining rate of response.
• Three ways to measure resistance to extinction include the total count of responses emitted before responding stops,.
• Three ways to measure include the the duration of time required for the behavior to reach a predetermined criterion

Intermittent vs. Continuous Reinforcement

• Intermittent reinforcement may produce behavior with greater resistance to extinction than continuous reinforcement.
• Some intermittent schedule may produce more persistent responding during extinction than others, and the thinner the schedule, the stronger the resistance

Variables Affecting Resistance (Cont.)

• Extinction is greater when it is carried out under high motivation vs low
• A long history of reinforcement may have more resistance to extinction than shorter history.
• The magnitude and quality of reinforcer also influence the resistance

Using Extinction Effectively

• This means withholding all reinforcers that maintained the problem behavior.
• The effectiveness depends on the right identification of consequences.
• Consistency is essential for extinction
• Always combine with other procedures, especially reinforcement of alternative behaviors.
• Instructions can be used, so behaviors diminish more quickly during extinction.
• When planning an extinction it is critical that the extinction-produced aggression not produce reinforcement.

Using Extinction (Cont.)

• Increasing the number of trials improves efficiency.
• Significant others must be included, where other people do not reinforce the undesired behavior.
• It is important to maintain the extinction-decreased behavior with permanent application of extinction.
• Be aware of avoiding unintentional extinction with desirable behaviors often unintentionally put on extinction.
• Behaviors has to continue is reinforce to be maintained\

When Not To Use Extinction

• Do not use if the behavior is harmful
• Do not use if all sources of reinforcement cannot be withheld.
• Do not use if a rapid reduction in response rate is required.
• Do not use if others are likely to imitate the problem behavior.