UNIT 4: APPLICATIONS

DR. MOON MOON DUTTA DR. DEBLEENA KUMAR

1
GOALS OF BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES:

Application of learning principles usually operant

conditioning to change human behaviour.

 To reinforce good behaviour.

 Discourages the unproductive, undesirable and

destructive behaviours.

2
TARGET DIFFICULTIES:

 BEHAVIOURAL EXCESSES.

 BEHAVIOURAL DEFICITS.

 SKILL DEFICITS.

 BEHAVIOURAL ANOMALIES.

3
TECHNIQUES:

❖ TOKEN ECONOMY

❖ CONTINGENCIES

❖ SHAPING

❖ PREMACK PRINCIPLE

4
 TOKEN ECONOMY

A token economy is a reinforcement system where

individuals receive tokens immediately after displaying
desirable behaviour. The tokens are collected and later
exchanged for a meaningful objector privilege.

Charles (1996) refers to a token economy as a

contingency management system that uses tangible
reinforcers in the form of tokens to achieve desired
behaviours.

5
PRIMARY GOAL:
 Initially tokens are awarded frequently and in higher amounts
following reinforcement schedule and gradually decreasing the
availability of tokens (fading) in order to increase desirable behaviour
and decrease undesirable behaviour.

 To teach appropriate behaviour and social skills that can be used in

one’s natural environment without the unnatural use of tokens.

6
NECESSARY COMPONENTS IN TOKEN ECONOMY:
 TOKENS:
Anything that is visible, attractive, easy to carry and dispense and
countable can be used as a token. Tokens have no value of their own. They
are collected and later exchanged for meaningful objects, privileges or
activities. Commonly used items include stickers, play money etc.

 A CLEARLY DEFINED TARGET BEHAVIOUR:

Participants need to know exactly in simple and specific terms of what
they must do in order to receive tokens. The number of tokens awarded or
lost for each behaviour is also specified.

7
 BACK-UP REINFORCERS:

Meaningful objects, privileges or activities that individuals receive in

exchange for their tokens. Examples include food items, extra free-time,
outings etc. The success of a token economy depends on the back-up
reinforcers.

 A SYSTEM FOR EXCHANGING TOKENS:

A time and place for purchasing back-up reinforcers is necessary. The token
value of each back-up reinforcer is pre-determined based on monetary
value, demand or therapeutic value.

8
 A SYSTEM FOR RECORDING DATA:

Initially baseline data was gathered about each individual’s current

behaviour. Changes in behaviour are then recorded on daily data sheets. This
information is used to measure individual progress, as well as the
effectiveness of the token economy.

 A CONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION:

All involved members must reward the same behaviour, use the appropriate
amount of tokens; avoid dispensing back-up reinforcers for free and prevent
tokens from being stolen.

9
 ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS:

 Advantages: Behaviours can be rewarded immediately, rewards are

same for all members of a group, use of punishment (response cost) is
less restrictive than other forms of punishment, and individuals can
learn skills related to planning for the future.

 Disadvantages: Considerable cost, effort and time-consuming.

10
APPLICATIONS OF TOKEN ECONOMY: (UNIT 4)
PLANNING STEPS APPLICATONS (EXAMPLES)
SCHOOL
1. Desired behaviour “Copying from board” “staying seated”
2. Find the baseline “could copy 40% of the assigned task”.; “could seat for only 1 st period”
3. Establish goals “50% of the task” ; “sitting for first two periods”.
4. Generate a list of
“assisting the teacher”; “erasing chalkboard”
potential rewards.
5. Defining a token “stars/stamps/stickers/points/ numbers.
“each time the child performs the behaviour”. The teacher should use
6. Tokens allocation praise and social attention for appropriate behaviour when
dispensing the tokens.
The behaviours targeted for change and how to successfully perform
7. Explain the program the behaviours should be discussed. The goal for earning the reward
to the child and when the rewards will be given should be discussed.

8. Teacher provides The teacher should review the child’s progress toward the goal.
reward
9. Changing the The number of tokens required for a reward can be increased; new
program problem behaviours can be substituted.

11
PLANNING STEPS APPLICATONS (EXAMPLES)
FAMILY

1. Desired behaviour “put the shoes in place ”; “sweeping the f loors”;“cleaning the bathroom”.

2. Find the baseline “problem lies when coming home from school”/“once a month”

3. Establish goals “once in 15 days”.

4. Generate a list of
“Extra play time” “reading a comic book”.
potential rewards.
5. Defining a token “stars/stamps/stickers/points/ numbers.

6. Tokens allocation “each time the child performs the behaviour”.

The behaviours targeted for change and how to successfully perform the
7. Explain the program behaviours should be discussed. The goal for earning the reward and
to the child when the rewards will be given should be discussed.

9. Changing the The number of tokens required for a reward can be increased; new
program behaviours can be substituted.

12
PLANNING STEPS APPLICATONS (EXAMPLES)
WORK

1. Desired behaviour “solving an important problem on spot”; “going beyond job

expectations”; “number of doors installed in a day”
2. Find the baseline “Percentage of present sales/productivity”

3. Establish goals “to create effective incentive system”/ “increasing retention of higher
performing employees”/ “to increase individual output”/ “to increase
employee motivation”.
4. Generate a list of
“going for a dinner”/ “a short vacation”/ “lump sum bonus”
potential rewards.
5. Defining a token “gift cards” “awards”

6. Tokens allocation “each time one performs the behaviour”/ “after every three months”

The behaviours targeted for change and how to successfully perform

7. Explain the the behaviours should be discussed. The goal for earning the reward
program and when the rewards will be given should be discussed.

8. Changing the The number of tokens required for a reward can be increased; new
program behaviours can be substituted.

13
 CONTINGENCIES
 Contingency refer to the relatioships between behaviours
and the environmental events that influence behaviour.

 Skinner explained three classes of events that affect the

probability of a response:
1. Single occurrence of the response/behaviour.
2. Antecedent events which occurred prior to the behaviour.
3. Consequences, i.e. events that occur following a response.

This interaction is termed as “three-term contingency”.

14
EXAMPLES: Illustrating 3 components of a contingency.

SCHOOL
ANTECEDENTS BEHAVIOUR CONSEQUENCE

reinforcing event
Cessation of the
Gradual
Verbal praise, appreciation
Instructed to Completed reduction of
(Positive reinforcement)
finish classroom the assigned Behavior.
academic task. Removing homework
assignment assignment. (EXTINCTION)
(Negative reinforcement)

ANTECEDENTS BEHAVIOUR CONSEQUENCE

Adding extra homework tasks/
Absence of the class- Increases classroom’s reprimands in front of junior class
teacher disruptive behaviour. (Positive punishment)
Not allowed to play/ loses a token
(Negative punishment)

15
EXAMPLES: Illustrating 3 components of a contingency.

FAMILY
ANTECEDENTS BEHAVIOUR CONSEQUENCE
Extra play time
Instructed to clean Picking up toys/ books. (Positive reinforcement)
the room Stop mother’s nagging.
(Negative reinforcement)

ANTECEDENTS BEHAVIOUR CONSEQUENCE

Adding extra household
Instructed to clean Shows tantrums. responsibilities.
the room (Positive punishment)
Favourite toy or activity taken away.
(Negative punishment)

16
EXAMPLES: Illustrating 3 components of a contingency.

WORK
ANTECEDENTS BEHAVIOUR CONSEQUENCE
Verbal praise, appreciation
Constantly reminding by the Pretending to (Positive reinforcement)
manager to be productive be busy/
mistakes Nagging stops/ remove saturdays
reduces as a work day.
(Negative reinforcement)

ANTECEDENTS BEHAVIOUR CONSEQUENCE

Extra assignments/ targets(Positive
Constantly reminding Employee punishment)
by the manager to be performance drops. Not allowed to attend important
productive meetings.
(Negative punishment)

17
 SHAPING

Shaping refers to the reinforcement of behaviours that

approximate or come close to the desired new behaviour.

People make successive approximations of desired

behaviour, eventually leading to new patterns of behaviour.

18
When Shaping can be used?

➢ To develop new behaviour.

➢ To develop new dimensions of a behaviour.

➢ To reinstate old behaviours that are not occurring.

➢ When instructions, modeling and prompting are not

applicable or not effective.

19
 STEPS INVOLVED IN SHAPING:

 STEP 1: Specify the target response (desired behaviour).

 STEP 2: Specify the positive reinforcement to be used.

 STEP 3: Specify initial and intermediate responses.

 STEP 4: Reinforce the initial response each time it occurs

and withhold reinforcement from other responses until the
initial response is performed consistently.

20
 STEP 5: Shift the criterion for reinforcement from the initial
response to an intermediate response.

 STEP 6: Reinforce the intermediate response until it is performed

consistently, then shift the criterion of reinforcement gradually to
other intermediate responses that are increasingly similar to the
target response.

 STEP 7: Reinforce the target response when it is performed.

21
APPLICATIONS: Example
STEPS SCHOOL/FAMILY WORK
Target response Social interaction development Team development
Initial response Spend 5 to 10 mins. At a social Members are brought together
gathering. Do not initiate any as a team.
conversations
Positive Verbal praise/ self-reward Coffee-break treats/ after-
reinforcement work parties/ performance
charts or graphs.
Intermediate 1. Spend 5to 10 mins. at a social 1. Interpersonal knowledge
responses gathering and greet at least 2 regarding ones teammates.
people. 2. Sharing of views.
2.Spend 15 to 20 mins. at a social 3. Exchanging task-related
gathering, greet at least 2 information.
people, introduce yourself to at 4. Willingness to accept
least 1 other person. differences of opinion.
3. Conversation on weather& 5. Within group agreement.
compliment the host on the
food.
Target response Reduce social avoidance. Achieve common goals. Team
solutions to problems.
22
PREMACK’S PRINCIPLE

David Premack (1965) suggests that if a person wants to

perform a given activity, the person will perform a less
desirable activity to get at the more desirable activity, that is,
activities may themselves be reinforcers.

According to the Premack Principle, a preferred activity can

be used to reinforce less preferred activity.

23
RESPONSE DEPRIVATION HYPOTHESIS
It refers to a model for predicting whether or not one
behaviour will function as a reinforcement for another
behaviour.

Restricting access to the one behaviour would create a state

of deprivation for access to the deprived behaviour acts as a
potential reinforcer. This concept builds upon the Premack’s
concept.

24
APPLICATIONS OF PREMACK PRINCIPLE:

 Most children are likely to prefer candy over carrots, so

rewarding a child with candy for eating carrots will often
increase carrot consumption.

 Used free time activities and recess for reinforcing various

classroom behaviours of school children (Winett and
Vachon,1974).

25
You may consider…

26
THANK YOU

27