Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time and Place: Stimulus Discrimination and Generalization

Chapter 8

Stimulus Discrimination Learning and Stimulus Control

How do we learn to perform certain behaviors at certain times but not others? Always cues around when behavior is reinforced or extinguished Situations in which behaviors occur analyzed in terms of:
Antecedent Stimuli stimuli that exist just prior to behavior Behavior Consequences

Stimulus Discrimination Learning and Stimulus Control

Stimulus Control
Degree of correlation between a stimulus and subsequent response Good or Effective stimulus control
High correlation

Stimulus Discrimination
Process by which we learn to emit a specific behavior in the presence of some stimuli and not in the presence of other stimuli

Stimulus Discrimination Training

Process of teaching stimulus discrimination

Controlling Stimuli
Reinforcement in the presence of specific stimuli or extinction in the presence of different stimuli

Types of Controlling Stimuli

SD Discriminative Stimulus for Reinforcement
Response has been reinforced only in the presence of a particular stimulus Cue that a particular response will pay off

S - Discriminative Stimulus for Extinction

Response has been extinguished only in the presence of a particular stimulus Cue that a particular response will not pay off

A stimulus may be simultaneously an SD for one response and an S for another

Stimulus Generalization
Responding the same way to two different stimuli Opposite of stimulus discrimination Unlearned Stimulus Generalization due to Considerable Physical Similarity
Likely to perform a behavior in a new situation if that situation is similar to situation when behavior was learned

Stimulus Generalization
Learned Stimulus Generalization Involving Minimal Physical Similarity
Have to learn the stimulus class, or concept Stimulus common-element class
Set of stimuli, all of which have some physical characteristic in common Conceptual behavior emitting appropriate behavior to all members of a stimulus commonelement class, but not those that dont belong

Stimulus Generalization
Learned Stimulus Generalization due to Stimulus Equivalence Class
Stimulus Equivalence Class
set of completely dissimilar stimuli in which all members of the class control the same response

Effectiveness of Stimulus Discrimination Training

Choose distinct signals Minimize opportunities for error Maximize the number of trials
Need multiple trials to learn the behavior

Make use of rules: describe the contingencies

Rules can speed up learning

Pitfalls
Can be misapplied May inadvertently teach others to respond inappropriately to particular cues

Guidelines for Effective Stimulus Discrimination Training

Choose distinct goals Select an appropriate reinforcer Develop the discrimination
Arrange for several reinforced responses in the presence of the SD When the S is presented, make the change from the SD very obvious and follow the rules for extinction for the behavior of concern

Wean the individual from the program

Plan natural reinforcers Plan periodic assessments of behavior to make sure it is occasionally being reinforced and that the desired frequency of the behavior is being maintained in the presence of the SD