Psychology Chapter 8: Behavior Modification

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Questions and Answers

What is a stimulus? Give two examples that are not from the text.

A stimulus is the people, animals, objects, and events currently present in one's immediate surroundings that impinge on one's sense receptors and can affect behaviour. Examples: 1. The sugar, flour, oven, oven mitts, mixing bowls, the smell of cookies when a baker is baking cookies. 2. A pencil, notebook, laptop, iPod music, table and other people when a student is in a library studying.

Define stimulus control.

Stimulus control refers to the degree of correlation between the occurrence of a particular stimulus and the occurrence of a subsequent response.

What is the difference between a stimulus and a discriminative stimulus?

A stimulus is a person, place, or thing in someone's sense receptors, while a discriminative stimulus is a specific stimulus in the presence of which a response will be reinforced.

Describe an example of a stimulus that is an SD for one behaviour and an SΔ for a different behaviour.

An example of an SD is a button in a change room that says, 'push for assistance,' which reinforces calling for help. An example of an SΔ is a pop-up advertisement online that says 'push this button for a chance to win a new iPad,' which leads to a computer virus. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the stimulus discrimination training procedure, and give an example.

Stimulus discrimination training involves reinforcing a response in the presence of an SD and extinguishing that response in the presence of an SΔ. An example is a child learning fine motor skills who is given the SD 'do this' and shown how to perform a skill. Signup and view all the answers

State the two effects of stimulus discrimination training.

<ol> <li>Good stimulus control - a strong correlation between a particular stimulus and a response. 2. Stimulus discrimination - a response occurs to an SD but not to an SΔ.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Define stimulus generalization, and give an example.

Stimulus generalization is reinforcing a response in the presence of one stimulus, which makes the response more probable in the presence of another similar stimulus. An example is a child learning to say 'doggie' for different types of dogs. Signup and view all the answers

When you are considering the selection of a stimulus to be set up as an SD, what four questions might you ask yourself about that stimulus?

<ol> <li>Is the stimulus different from other stimuli along more than one dimension? 2. Is the stimulus only presented when the desired response should occur? 3. Is it likely that the person will attend to the stimulus when presented? 4. Are there any undesirable responses that might be controlled by the stimulus?</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Describe a stimulus that you would like to establish as an SD for a behaviour of yourself or a friend, and describe the behaviour.

A no smoking sign in the house to reinforce my friend to quit smoking while indoors. This sign serves as a discriminative stimulus for the behaviour of not smoking in the house. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Stimulus and Examples

A stimulus comprises individuals, animals, objects, and events that affect behavior by interacting with sense receptors.
Examples of stimuli:
- While baking, a baker engages with sugar, flour, mixing bowls, and the smell of cookies.
- A student studying in a library interacts with a pencil, notebook, laptop, and ambient music.

Stimulus Control

Stimulus control refers to the degree to which a specific stimulus correlates with the occurrence of a response.

Difference Between Stimulus and Discriminative Stimulus

A stimulus can be any person, place, or thing that impacts perception, while a discriminative stimulus (SD) specifically signals the potential reinforcement of a response.

SD and SΔ Example

An SD: A button in a fitting room labeled "push for assistance" triggers a response leading to help.
An SΔ: A deceptive pop-up ad claiming "push for a chance to win" may introduce a virus, discouraging the response.

Stimulus Discrimination Training

Involves reinforcing responses to an SD while extinguishing them for an SΔ, improving the individual's ability to distinguish between stimuli.
Example: A child learning fine motor skills responds correctly to "do this" after demonstrated, indicating successful discrimination.

Effects of Stimulus Discrimination Training

Results in good stimulus control, ensuring strong correlation between stimulus and response.
Leads to stimulus discrimination where responses are correctly triggered by specific stimuli (SD) and not by others (SΔ).

Stimulus Generalization

Refers to a situation where a response reinforced in the presence of one stimulus becomes probable in the presence of similar stimuli.
Example: A child says "doggie" for various breeds of dogs after learning about one type.

Selection of Stimulus as SD

Important considerations when selecting a stimulus to act as an SD:
- Is the stimulus distinct across multiple dimensions?
- Is it only presented when the desired response should manifest to minimize confusion?
- Does it capture the individual's attention effectively?
- Are there any unintended responses that the stimulus might provoke?

Establishing a Personal SD

Example chosen for establishing an SD: A no smoking sign to help a friend quit smoking indoors.
Questions addressing the sign:
- It stands out visually and conveys a specific prohibition.
- The sign will only be displayed in the home when the desired behavior (not smoking) should occur.
- The sign is noticeable, making it likely that the friend will heed it.
- The sign does not trigger any unwanted responses related to smoking behavior.

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Test your understanding of behavior modification concepts with this quiz based on Chapter 8. This quiz includes flashcards that define key terms and provide practical examples. Perfect for reinforcing your knowledge in psychology and behavior analysis.