What variables contribute to student behavior?

1. What variables contribute to student behavior? • In your groups, describe or list the variables that might influence student behavior that you might observe in schools today.

2. We must first understand the variables that influence behavior. Environmental Variables Antecedent Behavior Consequence

3. Antecedents • Those events that occur before the behavior.

4. Behavior • Make sure you have a good, observable description of the behavior in which you are interested. • Reading words • Addition problems answered correctly • Refusing to work, putting head down

5. Where do I start?

6. Consequences • An event that occurs after the behavior or response of the student • How do the consequences of a behavior influence whether or not that behavior will occur in the future?

8. Reinforcement A consequence that increases or maintains a behavior is a reinforcer. (A consequence is only a reinforcer if it increases or maintain behavior.)

9. Naturally Occurring Reinforcement • An infant turns his face toward the bottle because he has received milk for turning in the past. • A person wears gloves on a cold day because previously gloves kept her hands warm. • Appropriate social behavior continues based on the reactions of other people.

10. Reward = Reinforcer • Reinforcer -- has a demonstrated strengthening effect on behavior. • Reward -- form of compensation that is assumed to strengthen behavior

11. Determining Reinforcers • Ask • Observe • Menu - provide choices based on: • novelty • the child’s age • interests • naturally occurring in the environment

12. Increasing a Reinforcers Effectiveness • Contingent • Does not mean reinforce every occurrence • If … then • Immediate • avoid inadvertently reinforcing other behavior • Prevent satiation • Use schedules of reinforcement

13. Are reinforcers the same for everyone? • What variables influence whether or not a particular item, event or activity will be considered reinforcing by a student. `

14. Extinction -- behavior that has been previously reinforced is no longer reinforced • Characteristics • gradual reduction of behavior • “extinction burst” • Spontaneous recovery • Advantages • aversives are not necessary • Disadvantages • temporary increase in rate • imitation by peers • controlling reinforcing consequences

15. Implementing Extinction • Identify source of reinforcement. • Withhold reinforcement. • Specify the conditions for extinction. • Maintain extinction for a sufficient amount of time. • Combine extinction with other strategies.

16. Punishment – a consequence that leads to a decrease in the future occurrence of the response or behavior • Disadvantages • withdrawal • aggression during initial implementation • avoid adults • peer reactions

17. Token Reinforcer -- used as a transition between performance and natural reinforcement. • Requires • token • back-up reinforcer • Must decide • target behavior for token • cost of back-up reinforcer • when is back-up reinforcer accessible

18. Considerations When Using Token Systems • Start big with tokens • ensure success the first few times • gradually increase the amount of work needed to obtain tokens • Exchanging tokens • initially -- often • Consider Supply and Demand • increase the number or requir4e a high number of tokens for a highly desired item

19. Time-out from Positive Reinforcement -- access to reinforcement is removed for a period of time • Characteristic • gradual reduction of behavior • Advantages • can be easy to implement for minor incidents • Disadvantages • difficult to implement for larger children

20. Implementing TOPR • Identify reinforcer that maintains behavior. • Make the time-in as reinforcing as possible. • Keep time-out period short. • Follow guidelines. • Release child from TO contingent on acceptable behavior. • Try teaching acceptable behavior first.

21. Challenging Behaviors Serve a Purpose • Obtaining • Attention • Tangible • Sensory • Escaping • Task, event, activity • Attention

22. Why is it important to identify the function of a behavior? • It is empirically validated as best practice.

23. Hypothesis Development

24. Functional Equivalency • Hitting a peer Teacher attention • Raising his hand to signal the T. • In serving the same function, both responses must occur within the same context and result in the same consequences.

26. Competing Behavior Diagrams Desired Maintaining Behavior Consequences Jeff is given Pushes the Teacher reminds a worksheet WS away him to get started Setting Antecedent Problem Maintaining Event Event Behavior Consequence Replacement Behavior

27. Competing Behavior Diagrams Getting Started Desired Maintaining Behavior Consequences Jeff is given Pushes the Teacher reminds a worksheet WS away him to get started Setting Antecedent Problem Maintaining Event Event Behavior Consequence Replacement Behavior

28. Competing Behavior Diagrams Getting Started Teacher attention Desired Maintaining Behavior Consequences Jeff is given Pushes the Teacher reminds a worksheet WS away him to get started Setting Antecedent Problem Maintaining Event Event Behavior Consequence Replacement Behavior

29. Competing Behavior Diagrams Getting Started Teacher attention Desired Maintaining Behavior Consequences Jeff is given Pushes the Teacher reminds a worksheet WS away him to get started Setting Antecedent Problem Maintaining Event Event Behavior Consequence Asking for directions to be repeated Replacement Behavior