Understanding Punishment Theories and Techniques in Behavior Modification

1. Assignment #2 • Deadline changed to JUNE 4th • Will mostly focus on Ch 7 • Talk about that after the midterm on Monday • Topics will be announced on Monday

2. Chapter 6 Operant Punishment

3. Response Rate: Increases Decreases Presented Response Causes Stimulus to Be: Removed Contingencies Positive Reinforcement Positive Punishment Lever press --> Food Lever press --> Shock Negative Reinforcement Negative Punishment Lever press --> Shock off Lever press --> Food removed

4. Examples • Positive • Aversive stimulus is ADDED • Spanking, shock • Negative • Appetitive stimulus is REMOVED • Time-outs, grounding, no dessert, food taken away • Fines??

5. Factors affecting punishment

6. Contingency • Correlation between behaviour & outcome • Strong contingency --> better learning • Random contingency --> no learning • Both reinforcement and punishment

7. Contiguity • Time between behaviour & outcome • Shorter = better learning • More important for punishment • Distraction more likely in punishment than reinforcement • Common violations

8. Punisher Characteristics • Qualitative differences in punishers • Species & individual differences • Intensity of punisher • Introductory level of punishment • Similar (but opposite) to learned helplessness

9. Reinforcement of punished behaviour • How rewarding is the behaviour itself? • Related to deprivation levels • Alternative sources of reinforcement • Real applications

10. Theories of Punishment

11. Disruption Theory • Incompatible behaviour • Punished behaviour is suppressed • Problems • Intensity of punisher • Contingency

12. Two-Process Theory (revisited) • Same theory we talked about for escape/avoidance • Classical & Operant • Same problems as before • Proximity to punished stimulus

13. One-Process Theory (revisited) • Symmetry with reinforcement • Premack principle • Low-probability behaviour punishes high-probability behaviour

14. Problems with punishment

15. Benefits • Short-term effectiveness • Reinforcing • Powerful & Fast • Rapid and substantial reduction in behaviour • Beneficial?

16. Problems • Application of punishers • Punishment generally not used correctly • Tolerance • Start with strong punisher • Gradually reduce • General reluctance to administer

17. Possible Consequences of Punishment • Escape • Aggression • At punisher, self, other • Apathy • General suppression of other behaviours • Abuse • Permanent damage • Imitation

18. Alternatives to punishment

19. Response Prevention • Make it impossible to do punishable behaviour • Subject can circumvent this • Best with younger children

20. Extinction • Identify reinforcer of behaviour • Withhold reinforcer … extinction of behaviour • Often difficult to identify the reinforcer • Extinction bursts problematic • Not a rapid solution

21. Differential Reinforcement • Four Types: • DRL: Differential reinforcement of low responses • DRO: Differential reinforcement of zero responses • DRI: Differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviour • DRA: Differential reinforcement of alternative behaviour

22. DRL • Differential reinforcement of low responses • Only reinforce behaviour when response occurs at low frequency • Good for reducing RATE of behaviour • e.g. pigeon pecking at key light • Reinforce ONLY if at least 2 seconds in between pecks • e.g. too many compliments

23. DRO • Differential reinforcement of zero responses • or DR of Omission of behaviour • Reinforcement contingent on not performing behaviour at all (in some time period) • Very similar to DRL, but goal is to eliminate behaviour

24. DRI • Differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviour • Reinforce behaviour incompatible with undesired response • e.g. riding bike vs playing video game

25. DRA • Differential reinforcement of alternative behaviour • Reinforcer gained from undesired behaviour now only available when some alternative behaviour done • Alternate source of reinforcement • Used more in cases where DRI is not an option

26. Noncontingent Reinforcement • Provide desired reinforcer on regular basis regardless of what is being done • No correlation between response and outcome • May work because subject gets reinforcer for “free” • Problems if reinforcer comes after some other undesired behaviour (new acquisition) • Chivalrous Charlie example (p. 87 of workbook)

27. Negative Punishment • Removal of pleasant stimulus • Time-out • Popular in human behaviour modification

28. Other Techniques for Behavioural Deceleration • Overcorrection • Repetitions of alternate, desired behaviour • Restitution • Positive practice • Technically, punishment • Stimulus satiation

29. Importance of reinforcers or punishers

30. Latent Learning • Motivation • Learning behaviour • Performing behaviour

31. Average Errors No food day 11 Food reward Days No food reward until day 11 Tolman & Honzig (1930)

32. Maze blockages Goal Start Box