NURSING
EAB 3002 Final Study Guide
Define:
Reinforcement: The PROCESS of increasing the frequency of a
behavior/response
Reinforcer: The STIMULUS that behavior/response(s) strengthening is
contingent upon
Deprivation: restricting access to a reinforcing event
Satiation: repeated presentations of a reinforcer weaken its effectiveness and
the rate of response declines.
Motivating operation: any event that alters the reinforcement effectiveness of
behavioral consequences and changes the frequency of behavior
Multiple schedule: two or more simple schedules are presented one after the
other and each schedule is accompanied by a distinctive controlling stimulus.
Often used to study stimulus control in the lab.
Tandem schedule: A sequence of two simple schedules signal a response but
do not have a unique SD
Methods to record behavior: time sampling, duration recording, event
recording
Behavior contract: behavior plan that is negotiated and usually includes a
statement of target responses, consequences and long-term goals
ABAB reversal: most basic research design used to show functional relations
between a stimulus and behavior. Used when reversal of a learned behavior
would NOT cause harm to the client or others
Multiple baseline: used when a reversal of a learned behavior would be harmful
to the client or others. Shows functional relation by implementing procedures
across settings, behaviors, or subjects. Proves functional relation through
prediction, verification and replication
Define and recognize examples of:
, Discrimination: when an organism shows a conditioned response to one
stimulus but not to other similar events
o Example: Your dog barks when he hears someone knock on your front
door but not when he hears someone on TV knocking on a door
Discriminative stimulus (Sd): Events, settings and situations that precede the
behavior and set the occasion for a behavior
o Example: Every time you say “Sit!” and your dog immediately sits, she gets
a treat. “Sit!” has become an Sd.
Establishing operation (EO): an environmental change with two effects: 1)
increases the momentary effectiveness of the reinforcer and 2) alters the
momentary frequency of the behavior
o Example: If you have not eaten in 8 hours and food is a reinforcer, it will
seem more valuable to you and make you more likely to perform a behavior
to get food (i.e. driving to McDonald’s). Your hunger is an EO.
Evocative effect: when something increases the probability that a behavior will
occur, then it has an evocative effect
o Example: In the above example, deprivation of food had an evocative
effect on driving to McDonald’s
Abolishing operation (AO): an environmental change with two effects: 1)
decreases the momentary effectiveness of consequences and 2) momentarily
reduces the frequency of the behavior
o Example: If a child has been watching TV all day and their mom asks them
to throw out the trash to get some TV time, they are less likely to perform
the behavior because TV is no longer an effective reinforcer. The amount of
TV watched is an AO.
Abative effect: when something decreases the probability that a behavior will
occur, then it has an abative effect
o Example: In the above example, TV had an abative effect on throwing out
the trash.
Differential reinforcement: reinforcing a behavior in one situation and withhold
reinforcement in another. Uses the procedures of reinforcement and extinction.
o Example: Encouraging a child to run at the park but not at the
supermarket.
Controlling stimulus: any stimulus that changes the probability of a behavior
occurring
o Example: SD, Save, S-delta
, Stimulus control: any change in operant behavior that occurs when an S D or S-
delta is presented.
o Example: If a flashcard with the definition of behavior sets the occasion for
you to say “behavior”, then the flashcard has stimulus control over the
behavior of saying “behavior”.
Differential Reinforcement of other behavior (DRO): reinforcement for any
behavior other than the operant even though it may not appropriate.
o Example: A student often taps the corner of their desk in a repetitive
pattern. To reduce this the teacher reinforces any amount of time in which
he is not tapping is finger, whether he is writing, clicking his pen, or picking
his nose.
Behavioral contrast: refers to an inverse relationship between the two
components of a multiple schedule; as one goes up the other goes down
o Example: Suzy’s mom started a no swearing rule at the house. As a result,
she swears twice as much at school.
Concurrent schedule: two or more simple schedules that are simultaneously
available
Matching law: When two or more concurrent schedules are available, the
relative rate of the response matches the relative rate of reinforcement
o Example: In a pigeon pecking a light experiment, schedule A provides 80%
of the reinforcement. Due to the matching law, we can predict that 80% of
the bird’s key pecks will be on schedule A
Conditioned reinforcer: a stimulus that acquires reinforcing function due to
pairing with an unconditioned reinforcer. The more pairings between the
unconditioned reinforcer and the generalized conditioned reinforcer, the more
effective the CR becomes
o Example: tokens, money, grades in school
Conditioned reinforcement: occurs when a behavior is strengthened by events
that have an effect because of a conditioning history
o Example: when students learn that earning tokens allows them to access
more reinforcers, tokens will strengthen behavior on their own.
Mixed schedule: two or more simple schedules are presented one after the
other but do not have a unique SD.
Chain schedule: two or more simple schedules each of which is presented
sequentially and is signaled by an arbitrary stimulus. Only the last link provides
, unconditioned reinforcement. Each “link” in the chain serves a dual function: it is
a reinforcer for the previous response and an S D for the next response.
o Example: Going to the kitchen, getting a bowl, getting a spoon, pouring
cereal, pouring milk, and eating is example of a chain schedule
Homogenous chain: the topography is similar or the same in every link of the
chain
o Example: A bird pecking a key
Heterogenous chain: the topography is different for each link
o Example: Going to a restaurant (showering, getting dressed, leaving your
house, driving there, then sitting to eat)
Generalized conditioned reinforcer: ay event or stimulus that is associated
with or exchangeable for many sources of unconditioned reinforcement.
o Example: money
Token economy: Behaviors are reinforced by the presentation of tokens which
are later exchanged for back up reinforcers
o Example: a teacher in a classroom gives happy face stickers every time
the students are on task. Once they get 5 stickers they can get a toy from
the treasure box.
Back up reinforcers: Reinforcers received in exchange for tokens in a token
economy
o Example: In the above example, toys are the backup reinforcers
Verbal behavior: the vocal, written, or gestural performances of a speaker writer
or communicator
o Example: speaking, signing, gesturing, PECS, etc.
Manding: a verbal operant whose form is regulated by establishing operations
o Example: Saying ‘Give me water’ when you are thirsty
Tacting: verbal operant whose form is regulated by nonverbal S Ds and
maintained by generalized reinforcement
o Example: A child sees a ball and says ‘ball!’
Intraverbal: verbal operant regulated by verbal SDs
o Example: Saying ‘Marco!’ and having someone say ‘Polo!’
Formal similarity: verbal stimulus and the product of the response are in the
same mode and have a physical resemblance
EAB 3002 Final Study Guide
Define:
Reinforcement: The PROCESS of increasing the frequency of a
behavior/response
Reinforcer: The STIMULUS that behavior/response(s) strengthening is
contingent upon
Deprivation: restricting access to a reinforcing event
Satiation: repeated presentations of a reinforcer weaken its effectiveness and
the rate of response declines.
Motivating operation: any event that alters the reinforcement effectiveness of
behavioral consequences and changes the frequency of behavior
Multiple schedule: two or more simple schedules are presented one after the
other and each schedule is accompanied by a distinctive controlling stimulus.
Often used to study stimulus control in the lab.
Tandem schedule: A sequence of two simple schedules signal a response but
do not have a unique SD
Methods to record behavior: time sampling, duration recording, event
recording
Behavior contract: behavior plan that is negotiated and usually includes a
statement of target responses, consequences and long-term goals
ABAB reversal: most basic research design used to show functional relations
between a stimulus and behavior. Used when reversal of a learned behavior
would NOT cause harm to the client or others
Multiple baseline: used when a reversal of a learned behavior would be harmful
to the client or others. Shows functional relation by implementing procedures
across settings, behaviors, or subjects. Proves functional relation through
prediction, verification and replication
Define and recognize examples of:
, Discrimination: when an organism shows a conditioned response to one
stimulus but not to other similar events
o Example: Your dog barks when he hears someone knock on your front
door but not when he hears someone on TV knocking on a door
Discriminative stimulus (Sd): Events, settings and situations that precede the
behavior and set the occasion for a behavior
o Example: Every time you say “Sit!” and your dog immediately sits, she gets
a treat. “Sit!” has become an Sd.
Establishing operation (EO): an environmental change with two effects: 1)
increases the momentary effectiveness of the reinforcer and 2) alters the
momentary frequency of the behavior
o Example: If you have not eaten in 8 hours and food is a reinforcer, it will
seem more valuable to you and make you more likely to perform a behavior
to get food (i.e. driving to McDonald’s). Your hunger is an EO.
Evocative effect: when something increases the probability that a behavior will
occur, then it has an evocative effect
o Example: In the above example, deprivation of food had an evocative
effect on driving to McDonald’s
Abolishing operation (AO): an environmental change with two effects: 1)
decreases the momentary effectiveness of consequences and 2) momentarily
reduces the frequency of the behavior
o Example: If a child has been watching TV all day and their mom asks them
to throw out the trash to get some TV time, they are less likely to perform
the behavior because TV is no longer an effective reinforcer. The amount of
TV watched is an AO.
Abative effect: when something decreases the probability that a behavior will
occur, then it has an abative effect
o Example: In the above example, TV had an abative effect on throwing out
the trash.
Differential reinforcement: reinforcing a behavior in one situation and withhold
reinforcement in another. Uses the procedures of reinforcement and extinction.
o Example: Encouraging a child to run at the park but not at the
supermarket.
Controlling stimulus: any stimulus that changes the probability of a behavior
occurring
o Example: SD, Save, S-delta
, Stimulus control: any change in operant behavior that occurs when an S D or S-
delta is presented.
o Example: If a flashcard with the definition of behavior sets the occasion for
you to say “behavior”, then the flashcard has stimulus control over the
behavior of saying “behavior”.
Differential Reinforcement of other behavior (DRO): reinforcement for any
behavior other than the operant even though it may not appropriate.
o Example: A student often taps the corner of their desk in a repetitive
pattern. To reduce this the teacher reinforces any amount of time in which
he is not tapping is finger, whether he is writing, clicking his pen, or picking
his nose.
Behavioral contrast: refers to an inverse relationship between the two
components of a multiple schedule; as one goes up the other goes down
o Example: Suzy’s mom started a no swearing rule at the house. As a result,
she swears twice as much at school.
Concurrent schedule: two or more simple schedules that are simultaneously
available
Matching law: When two or more concurrent schedules are available, the
relative rate of the response matches the relative rate of reinforcement
o Example: In a pigeon pecking a light experiment, schedule A provides 80%
of the reinforcement. Due to the matching law, we can predict that 80% of
the bird’s key pecks will be on schedule A
Conditioned reinforcer: a stimulus that acquires reinforcing function due to
pairing with an unconditioned reinforcer. The more pairings between the
unconditioned reinforcer and the generalized conditioned reinforcer, the more
effective the CR becomes
o Example: tokens, money, grades in school
Conditioned reinforcement: occurs when a behavior is strengthened by events
that have an effect because of a conditioning history
o Example: when students learn that earning tokens allows them to access
more reinforcers, tokens will strengthen behavior on their own.
Mixed schedule: two or more simple schedules are presented one after the
other but do not have a unique SD.
Chain schedule: two or more simple schedules each of which is presented
sequentially and is signaled by an arbitrary stimulus. Only the last link provides
, unconditioned reinforcement. Each “link” in the chain serves a dual function: it is
a reinforcer for the previous response and an S D for the next response.
o Example: Going to the kitchen, getting a bowl, getting a spoon, pouring
cereal, pouring milk, and eating is example of a chain schedule
Homogenous chain: the topography is similar or the same in every link of the
chain
o Example: A bird pecking a key
Heterogenous chain: the topography is different for each link
o Example: Going to a restaurant (showering, getting dressed, leaving your
house, driving there, then sitting to eat)
Generalized conditioned reinforcer: ay event or stimulus that is associated
with or exchangeable for many sources of unconditioned reinforcement.
o Example: money
Token economy: Behaviors are reinforced by the presentation of tokens which
are later exchanged for back up reinforcers
o Example: a teacher in a classroom gives happy face stickers every time
the students are on task. Once they get 5 stickers they can get a toy from
the treasure box.
Back up reinforcers: Reinforcers received in exchange for tokens in a token
economy
o Example: In the above example, toys are the backup reinforcers
Verbal behavior: the vocal, written, or gestural performances of a speaker writer
or communicator
o Example: speaking, signing, gesturing, PECS, etc.
Manding: a verbal operant whose form is regulated by establishing operations
o Example: Saying ‘Give me water’ when you are thirsty
Tacting: verbal operant whose form is regulated by nonverbal S Ds and
maintained by generalized reinforcement
o Example: A child sees a ball and says ‘ball!’
Intraverbal: verbal operant regulated by verbal SDs
o Example: Saying ‘Marco!’ and having someone say ‘Polo!’
Formal similarity: verbal stimulus and the product of the response are in the
same mode and have a physical resemblance
