Stimulus Control

1. Stimulus Control The development of a stimulus as a signal for the occurrence of a specified response The signal indicates the availability of positive reinforcement for that response The reinforcement is available only in the presence of the stimulus and only when that response is made

2. Generalization A na�ve organism, when encountering a stimulus, will not know what that stimulus signifies The organism might respond randomly and inconsistently to that stimulus The stimulus does not exert control over the behavior Many different responses might occur in the presence of a stimulus

3. Discrimination The act of differential responding to stimuli A response occurs only in the presence of a particular stimulus Certain responses will be reinforced in the presence of the stimulus The response will only be reinforced in the presence of that stimulus Other responses will not be reinforced in the presence of the stimulus

4. Discriminative Stimuli Those stimuli which signal the availability of reinforcement for specified responses are known as discriminative stimuli Other responses that might occur in the presence of the stimulus will not be reinforced Ultimately, only those responses that are reinforced in the presence of a discriminative stimulus will occur when that stimulus is presented

5. Stimulus Control in the Classroom The manner in which desks are arranged in the classroom will make a difference in the kinds of activities that are fostered in that environment

6. Van Dyke Houses Buildings are isolated from each other as are individual apartments Sense of isolation develops in tenants, lack of community spirit Apathy toward living environment Increase in crime

7. Brownsville Houses Have an exposed stairway Apartment units grouped, share common vestibule, staircase

8. Brownsville Houses Exterior areas are under possible observation from apartments Provides security and increasing resident use and responsibility

9. Problems of Distraction Many people put in the time studying but much of that time is spent in distraction

10. Procrastination is often a problem of stimulus control The desk serves as a discriminative stimulus for anything but studying

11. A Typical Dieter�s Daily Food Intake Breakfast 1/2 Grapefruit 1 slice whole wheat toast 8 oz. Skim milk Lunch 4 oz. lean broiled chicken breast 1 cup steamed zucchini 1 Oreo cookie Mid Afternoon snack Rest of the Oreos package 1qt. Rocky Road ice cream 1 jar hot fudge Dinner 2 loaves of garlic bread 1 large pepperoni pizza 1large pitcher of beer 3 Milky Way candy bars 1 frozen cheesecake

12. Overeating or Inactivity? Many problems of weight control involve low levels of activity as much as they do overeating

13. Overeating Problems The presence of food cues The immediate reinforcement it provides * The positive reinforcement of good taste * The negative reinforcement of making us feel better when we are sad, anxious, etc. The long delay of negative effects It can be done anywhere

14. Leading a More Active Lifestyle Exercise does not have to be structured and in a special place (gym), but can be incorporated into everyday life Using stairs instead of elevators, walking instead of driving short distances, etc. are all calorie burners

15. Developing Healthy Eating Habits I Do not go on a diet but change the way you eat on a permanent basis Stimulus narrowing: eat only in specified places and nowhere else Eat small meals often rather than 2 or 3 big ones Eat only when you are hungry: stop and think before you eat Proceed slowly, expecting to lose no more than 6 to 8 pounds per month Keep a journal of everything eaten, including what, how much, when, where, and how you felt

16. Developing Healthy Eating Habits II: Grocery Shopping Make a list of needed items before you go Do not take checks, ATM, or credit cards Take just the amount of cash you feel will be needed to pay for the items on the list Do not grocery shop when you are hungry Avoid aisles with snack and junk food that you do not need

17. Developing Healthy Eating Habits III: What to Do With Food at Home Once food is in the house, put it away, preferably out of sight The more difficult it is to get to or prepare, the less likely it will be eaten Keep a journal of everything eaten, including what, how much, when, where, and how you felt Eat only in one place and not while engaged in any other activity When anything is eaten, put out a full place setting and then clean it up

18. Developing Healthy Eating Habits IV: Preparing and Eating Meals Prepare only as much food as will be necessary for the meal Do not overly sample while preparing Serve portions onto plates; do not place bowls or pans of food on the table Any leftover food should be put away or discarded before sitting down to eat Eat slowly

19. Preparing and Eating Meals, cont�d Stimulus narrowing: eat only in specified places and nowhere else Eat small meals often rather than 2 or 3 big ones Eat only when you are hungry; stop and think before you eat: �Do I really need this food?� Stop eating when you are full Do not totally deprive yourself of any favorite food but allow small amounts of it once in a while

20. Developing Healthy Eating Habits V: At Other Times Be as active as possible; set up regular exercise Have a support group, perhaps friends with similar problems, you can talk to during times of temptation Get your family and close friends to support your efforts Do not weigh often, only about once a week, as weight loss will be slow and uneven Expect occasional setbacks; don�t be discouraged; just get back on track as soon as possible

21. Prompting Presenting a discriminative stimulus for a response that is used to induce a desirable response or to discourage an undesirable response

22. Varieties of Prompts Verbal Prompts: spoken or written words intended to induce a desired behavior (instructions, advice, or commands Gestural prompts: physical movements previously established as discriminative stimuli for specific behaviors Picture or symbolic prompts: a stimulus that illustrates a behavior Physical prompts: induces correct responding by manually guiding the person�s movements

23. Advantages and Disadvantages of Prompting Advantage: Desired behaviors can be quickly induced with relatively little effort Disadvantage: The prompts can become a crutch and must then be eliminated