Fading

Question 1

Successive Discrimination

Answer 1

A procedure used to train differential responding by alternating a SD and a SΔ.

Relies on
* Generalization
* Extinction

Question 2

Why is fading considered errorless learning?

Answer 2

Fading produces little to no generalization effects.
* Very difficult to reverse roles of SD and SΔ.
* Best used in situations where contingencies of reinforcement are not likely to change and variability is undesirable.
- E.g. Multiplication Tables, Spelling, etc.

• Typically the learning experience with fading is more enjoyable than “trial-and-error” methods.
  
  • Does not contain undesirable effects of extinction.
  • Exctinction bursts, behavioural variablity

Question 3

Fading

Answer 3

Transferring the control of one antecedent stimulus (S1) to another stimulus (S2) by gradually eliminating S1 in the presence of S2

Question 4

E.g. Brown et al. (2008) Fading Autism Experiment

Answer 4

Participants initially had no verbal interactions during shopping trips.

Provided with scripts during simulated shopping trips.
- Reinforced with exchangeable points for reading the scripts they encountered
- Scripts were faded as rates of unscripted conversations increased.
- Fading gradually removed script words from last word to first word.

Training generalized to actual stores.

Question 5

Name all four types

Response Prompts

Fading

Answer 5

Involve the behaviour of another person

Verbal Prompt
* Verbal behaviour of another person results in correct behaviour of the trainee.
- E.g. Telling a music student what note to play on the piano.

Gestural Prompt
* A physical movement or gesture of another person that leads to the correct behaviour.
- E.g. Pointing to the correct musical note on the piano.

Modeling Prompt
* Person demonstrates the target behaviour for the learner.
- E.g., Playing the correct note on the piano as a demonstration for the student.

Physical Prompt
* Person physically assists the learner to engage in the correct behaviour.
- E.g., Physically guiding the student’s hand on the piano to play the correct note.

Question 6

Stimulus Prompts

Answer 6

Involve a change or addition/subtraction of an antecedent stimulus.
* Within-Stimulus Prompt
- An aspect/dimension of the stimulus is changed to aid discrimination.
- ie. Bolded words
* Extra-Stimulus Prompt
- A separate stimulus is added to aid discrimination.
- ie. arrows pointing at a work

Question 7

Types of Fading

Answer 7

Prompt/Stimulus Fading
* Gradually removing the prompt/stimulus in the presence of the new SD that is being established.
- Most-to-least
- Least-to-most

Prompt Delay
- Gradually delaying the delivery of the prompt in the presence of the new SD that is being established.

Question 8

Prompt Delay

Fading Process

Answer 8

Initially present prompt with no delay and then gradually insert a delay between the prompt and the desired SD.

1. Present desired SD
2. Wait for a response (delay)
3. If no response made after x amount of time prompt the desired behaviour.
4. Observe the desired behaviour
5. Reinforce the desired behaviour.

Question 9

Behaviour Chains

Answer 9

A specific sequence of discrete responses, each associated with a specific stimulus condition.
- ie. A complex behaviour consisting of two or more component behaviours that occur together in a sequence.

Each component of the chain has a SD and a corresponding response to that SD.

Each response creates a new situation that
functions as an SD for the next response.

Question 10

Task Analysis

Answer 10

Breaking down a task into its component elements.
- i.e., Establishing the Discriminative Stimuli (SD), responses, and reinforcers.

Analysis should be “validated”
- Observe practiced individuals perform the behaviours.
- Consult experts.
- Perform the behaviour yourself.
- Adjust steps based on the learner’s ability.

Prior to chaining, the subject must be capable of executing each component.

Revise as necessary (break down, combine, or add steps)

Question 11

Forward Chaining

Answer 11

1. Reinforce after performance of first two components. - Repeat until behaviour is performed reliably.
2. Reinforce after complete performance of first three components. - Repeat until reliable.
3. Reinforce after complete performance of first four components. - Repeat until reliable.

And so on . . .

Note: Requires ability to reinforce after each component which can be impractical.

Question 12

Backward Chaining

Answer 12

1. Require performance of last two components & reinforce - Repeat until smooth and prompts have been faded.
2. Require performance with last three components & reinforce. - Repeat until smooth and prompts have been faded.
3. And so on . . .

Note:
- Components are added from back-to-front.
- A prompt (to be faded) may be needed to elicit performance of new components.

Question 13

What happens if a chain is too long? How can we solve this?
— Long-Term Considerations of Chaining

Answer 13

If a learned chain is too long, responding may decrease over time due to . . .
- Weak conditional reinforcers
- Weak terminal/primary reinforcers.

Potential Remedies:
- Use a stronger terminal reinforcer.
- Shorten the chain.
- Highlight natural rewards the chain provides (if any).
- Intermittently reinforce smaller sections of the chain.

Question 14

Variable Chains

Answer 14

• Not all chains occur in the same sequence with every presentation.
• Train components out of order.
• Leads to flexible problem-solving.

Question 15

Total Task Presentation

Answer 15

Use prompting to get the learner to perform the whole chain from start to finish, then reinforce.

Need to consider:
- Task complexity.
- Learners ability.
- Teacher’s ability.
- Types of prompts.
- Written prompts
- Picture prompts
- Modelling
- Self-Instructions