Behaviour Model

MARIAM HAIDER

SPRING 2024

SOE, LUMS
BEHAVIOURAL MODEL

All behaviour is learned.

Problem behaviours arise from faulty learning.

Behaviour is a function of external variables.

Focus is on observable behaviour only.

THE BEHAVING ORGANISM

Total Repertoire
A collection of all responses, learned AND
unlearned that an organism can engage in.

Respondent Operant
Behaviors Behaviors
BEHAVIOURAL MODEL

• Classical/Respondent Conditioning

• Operant Conditioning

• Social Learning/Modelling
CLASSICAL/RESPONDENT CONDITIONING

Little Albert Experiment

(Watson & Rayner, 1920)
 RESPONDENT CONDITIONING (S-R)
Respondent Behavior refers to a response to an antecedent stimuli that is occurs reflexively or
involuntarily. It is, in some degree, determined by physiology.

This is a two term relationship that consists of a stimulus and the resulting response (S-R)
Conditioning
Before
 RESPONDENT CONDITIONING (S-R)
Respondent Behavior refers to a response to an antecedent stimuli that is occurs reflexively or
involuntarily.

An Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) is a stimulus that is not associated with a prior learning history,
and whose presentation results in a reflexive response (or respondent behavior)
Conditioning
Before

Unconditioned stimulus
(UCS)
Unconditioned Response (UCR)
 RESPONDENT CONDITIONING (S-R)
Respondent Behavior refers to a response to an antecedent stimuli that is occurs reflexively or
involuntarily.

An Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) is a stimulus that is not associated with a prior learning history,
and whose presentation results in a reflexive response (or respondent behavior)
Conditioning
Before

Neutral stimulus No conditioned response

 RESPONDENT CONDITIONING (S-R)
Respondent Behavior refers to a response to an antecedent stimuli that is occurs reflexively or
involuntarily.

An Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) is a stimulus that is not associated with a prior learning history,
and whose presentation results in a reflexive response (or respondent behavior)
Conditioning
During

Unconditioned stimulus Unconditioned Response

Neutral stimulus
(UCS) (UCR)
 RESPONDENT CONDITIONING (S-R)
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) refers to a formerly neutral stimulus change that elicits respondent
behavior only after it has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US) or another CS

Conditioned Response (CR) refers to a learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Conditioning
After

Neutral stimulus
Unconditioned Response (UCR)
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
Conditioned Response (CR)
 RESPONDENT CONDITIONING (S-R)
Before
1. UCS Conditioning UCR

Before
2. NS Conditioning No Response

3. NS + UCS During Conditioning UCR

Replicated multiple times

UCR
4. NS
UCS After Conditioning
CR
CLASSICAL/RESPONDENT CONDITIONING
 OPERANT CONDITIONING (A-B-C)
Operant Behavior or simply an operant is behavior that is changed by consequence. Operant behavior is
selected entirely by the environment.

This is a three term relationship or as we call it, an ABC contingency, that consists of an antecedent stimulus
(A), a response or behavior (B), and a consequent stimulus (C), in that order.

Verbal
feedback

Antecedent (A) Behaviour (B) Consequenct (C)

 OPERANT CONDITIONING

Good
job!

Behavior (B) Consequent (C)

Antecedent (A)

Reinforcement describes a change in a behaviour following a response that increases the future
probability or some other dimension of that behaviour in similar stimulus conditions.
 OPERANT CONDITIONING
Positive Reinforcement describes addition of a stimulus following a response that increases the future
probability or some other dimension of that response in similar stimulus conditions.

Good job
reading!

Antecedent (A)
Reading time
Consequent
Behavior (B)
(C)
Student attempting to read
 OPERANT CONDITIONING
Negative Reinforcement describes removal of all or part of a stimulus following a response that
increases the future probability or some other dimension of that response in similar stimulus conditions.

All done with

reading time!

Antecedent (A)
Reading time
Consequent
Behavior (B)
(C)
Student attempting to read
 OPERANT CONDITIONING

!@?$

Antecedent (A) Behavior (B) Consequent (C)

Punishment describes a change in a behaviour following a response that decreases the future
probability or some other dimension of that response in similar stimulus conditions.
 OPERANT CONDITIONING
Positive Punishment describes addition of or to a stimulus following a response that decreases the
future probability or some other dimension of that response in similar stimulus conditions.

!@?$

Behavior (B)
Antecedent (A)
Reading time
Student attempting to read Consequent (C)
 OPERANT CONDITIONING
Negative Punishment describes removal of all or part of a stimulus following a response that decreases
the future probability or some other dimension of that response in similar stimulus conditions.

Antecedent (A)
Behavior (B) Consequent (C)
Reading time
Student attempting to read Time out
 OPERANT CONDITIONING

No
comment

Behavior (B) Consequence (C)

Antecedent (A)

Operant Extinction describes an event in which reinforcement is withheld for a previously reinforced
response.
 OPERANT CONDITIONING

No
comment

Behavior (B) Consequent (C)

Antecedent (A)

Operant Extinction describes an event in which reinforcement is withheld for a previously reinforced
response which results in the decrease and eventual loss of that behavior altogether.
OPERANT CONDITIONING
SOCIAL LEARNING/MODELLING

• Role of observational learning.

• Individuals acquire new skills,

attitudes, and values by imitating the
action of role models and by
receiving reinforcements based on
their observed behaviours.
SOCIAL LEARNING/MODELLING

• Identification with the model

SOCIAL LEARNING/MODELLING

Phobias and aggressive behaviour can be learned vicariously

WHAT FUNCTIONS DO BEHAVIOURS
SERVE?
 FUNCTIONS OF BEHAVIOUR
To gain attention To gain a tangible
 FUNCTIONS OF BEHAVIOUR
To escape attention To escape an event,
setting or task etc.
 FUNCTIONS OF BEHAVIOUR
To gain sensory stimulation To escape sensory stimulation
 FUNCTIONS OF BEHAVIOUR

• Control
 FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOUR ASSESSMENT (FBA)
FOR PROBLEM BEHAVIOUR
FBA Process

Indirect Assessment Descripitve (direct) Assessment

Historical/ Functional Direct

Archival Rating ABC Functional
Assessment Analysis
Observation of
records scales behaviours Analysis
Interviews
ABC ANALYSES
 FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOUR ASSESSMENT
EXAMPLE
Ali finds mathematics very difficult. When his mathematics teacher enters
the class and announces that there is a test, he starts making loud sounds
and teasing the boy next to him. The teacher typically sends him to theAvoid
difficult
principal's office with a discipline referral for misbehaviour. task
Consequence
Setting Antecedent Behaviour Teacher sends
Teacher Ali makes loud Ali to the
Alis is in the announces that sounds and principals’
mathematics they will have a teases office for
class test classmates misbehaviour
 FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOUR ASSESSMENT
EXERCISE
Asad has problems making friends and is often teased by his classmates.
When the very mild Urdu teacher asks him to write something on the board,
he responds by giving a rude and impertinent reply. His classmates Peer
exchange sly grins with him and make a thumbs-up sign. Approval

Consequence
Setting Antecedent Behaviour
His classmates
Asad is in the Teacher asks Asad sounds
grin and make a
Urdu Class him to write on with a rude
thumb-up sign
the board remark
 ACTIVITY

Case study: Saima

Complete the FBA form provided based on the information in the case study
 BEHAVIOUR INTERVENTION PLAN (BIP)

• FBAs lead to BIPs

• BIPS contains intervention strategies such positive reinforcement for achieving

goals and consequences for inappropriate behaviours/violations of rules
 Problem Behaviour Maintained by Tangible Access

What it does
Provides preferred items or activities

When does it happen

When the child wants a preferred item or activity

Common mistakes
Giving the child the item being requested as a quick
fix to the problem!
 Problem Behaviour Maintained by Tangible Access

What to do?
1. Develop routines, give child access to
preferred items and activities on a daily
strict schedule (contingent on certain other
activities)
2. Give item when it is requested in an
appropriate manner i.e. reward good
behavior at any point it happens
(differential reinforcement)
3. Provide free access to the items (non-
contingently)
4. Time-out (remove access)
 Attention Maintained Behaviour

What it does
Provides access to people or interactions

When does it happen

When the child wants social interaction

Common mistakes
Giving attention when the problem is occuring or has
just occured, even if it’s in the form of a scolding
 Attention Maintained Behaviour

What to do?
1. Give attention often, according to your
own schedule (e.g. every 5 minutes)
(Noncontingent attention)
2. Giving enthusiastic attention as soon as
you see any good behavior (differential
reinforcement)
3. Planned ignoring, but not always
4. Time out!
What to avoid?
1. Allowing child to escape task/situation
completely
2. The ‘time-out’ temptation!
 Escape Maintained Behaviour

What it does
Removes undesired activities or interactions

When does it happen

Usually when task is too hard, easy, boring or it can
even happen to escape someone’s attention

Common mistakes
Allowing child to escape so that he/she stops the
problem behavior
 Escape Maintained Behaviour
What to do?
1. Make the situation/task/event less aversive
by:
a. Changing task length/difficulty
b. Add choices of similar activity
2. Teaching an appropriate replacement
response “If you ask nicely, maybe I’ll
think about it!”
3. Provide breaks, but only when problem
behaviour ISN’T happening
What to avoid?
1. Allowing child to escape task/situation
completely. The ‘time-out’ temptation!
 Self-Stimulatory Behaviour

What it does
Provides preferred sensory experiences; behavior
feels good to do!

When does it happen?

Anytime, especially when child is alone or feels
anxious.

What can it look like?

Repetitive hand flapping, spinning objects, rocking,
repeating noises or words,snapping fingers etc.
 Self-Stimulatory Behaviour

What to do?
1. Block inappropriate behaviors to the extent possible
2. Reward child when behavior is absent! (differential
reinforcement)
3. Teach play skills, or other activities that provide similar
sensation in a more appropriate way!
4. Try and destress the situation and/or event for the child

What to avoid?
Punishing the child! It won’t work as well as one of the
above!
Your Turn!

Anousheh is 6 years old and a habitual nail biter. She

bites her nails every chance she gets, sometimes
biting hard and deep enough to draw blood. You, the
parent, have often caught her going at it when she is
alone. You have tried punishing her repeatedly, by
taking her toys or sending her to bed early, but this
only seems to be making the habit worse.

What is the likely function of Anousheh’s behaviour?

What would you recommend doing?
Your turn!

It is 7:30am, Reza is refusing to put on his shoes

or pack his bag to get ready for school, instead
he is running away from you, the parent, all the
while screaming and crying. You try making him
wear his favourite pair of jeans and a PBJ
sandwich (his Favourite!) but he does not seem
to calm down. You decide you cannot send him
to school in this state, so you let him stay home
for the day. After a short while, Reza calms down
and your problem is solved! (OR is it?)

What was the likely function of Reza’s

behaviour? What would you recommend doing?
 REINFORCEMENT

• Reinforcement helps increase the probability that a specific behavior will occur in the
future by delivering a response immediately after a behavior is exhibited.
REINFORCEMENT

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

• Reza receives Rs 500 (positive • Kamran does the dishes

reinforcer) for every A* he earns (behaviour) to avoid his mother
on his report card (behavior). nagging him (negative situation).
• A father gives his daughter candy • Anousheh can get up from the
(positive reinfrocer) for cleaning dinner table (negative situation)
up toys (behavior). when she eats 6 bites of her
chicken (behavior).
 PUNISHMENT

• Punishment is a process by which a consequence immediately follows a

behavior which decreases the future frequency of that behavior.
• A stimulus can be added (positive punishment) or removed (negative
punishment).
PUNISHMENT

POSITIVE PUNISHMENT NEGATIVE PUNISHMENT

• Nadir picks his nose during class • Reza is removed from his favourite
(behavior) and the teacher class (desired situation) and sent to
reprimands him (negative the principal’s office because he
response) in front of his was acting out (behavior).
classmates. • Yahya does not follow directions
• Tahira snatches a toy from another (behavior), so he loses a token for
child (negative response) who is good behavior (desired item)
throwing a tantrum (behaviour) which could later be cashed in for
a prize.
 METHODS FOR INCREASING
BEHAVIOUR

• Reinforcement
- Primary and secondary reinforcers
- Teachers should prepare a list of possible reinforcers
- Catch them being good
- Shape by reinforcing small steps
- Set class expectations and reinforce students who meet them
- Use peer social reinforcement
 METHODS FOR INCREASING BEHAVIOUR

• Contingency contracting
Premack’s principle “if… then…”

Token economies
- Social and academic skills, on-task behaviour, language
skills
- Example: Finish three math problems with 90% accuracy is
worth 6 points
- Flexibility is key, reinforcers and contingencies vary
depending on age and level of sophistication of the student
 METHODS FOR DECREASING BEHAVIOUR

• Differential reinforcement
- Other Behaviours
- Incompatible Behaviours
- Lower Rates of Inappropriate Behaviours
- Communicative Behaviours
METHODS FOR DECREASING BEHAVIOUR

• Punishment
- Punitive, extinguishes behaviour for a short time and no positive
models of what is expected

Response-cost: removal of reinforcers, used often with token economies

- Earnings>Deducted
- Used with individuals and groups
Time-out : withdrawing the opportunity for reinforcement for a period
of time after the occurrence of a inappropriate behaviour
 METHODS FOR DECREASING BEHAVIOUR

• In-school suspension
- Designated classroom, Teacher/aide available, no
interaction with other students, discuss problems, finish work and
return

• Suspension/Expulsion
- Extreme violence, possession of drugs/weapons
- Suspended/expelled for long period, punitive