Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved Chapter 15: Punishment

Cooper, Heron, and HewardApplied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.All rights reserved

Chapter 15:Punishment by Removal of a

Stimulus



Definition of Punishment by Removal of a Stimulus

• Stimulus removed

• Contingent upon a response

• That decreases the future probability of that response

• The future decrease in the response is a critical feature in defining punishment



Punishment by contingent removal of a stimulus

Future Frequency

Stimulus Change

Stimulus Applied

Stimulus Removed

Behavior is reduced

Type I

Positive Punishment

Type II

Negative Punishment



Example

SD

Adult says, “Let’s open

our books to page 12.

Each of you should read

the first paragraph to your buddy.”

Response

Child pokes his

buddy

SR-

Adult places child in time

out (peer attention is removed)

Poking a buddy occurs less often in the future when the teacher gives a classroom instruction and peer buddies are available.

EO

Child is participating in classroom

buddy activities,

where attention

from peers (a positive

reinforcer) is available.



Time-out from Positive Reinforcement

• The withdrawal of the opportunity to earn positive reinforcement, or

• The loss of access to reinforcers for a specified period of time

• Contingent upon the occurrence of a target behavior

• If the effect of these is to decrease the future probability of the behavior, then this procedure has functioned as a punisher for the behavior



Important Aspects of Time-out

• The discrepancy between “time-out” and “time-in” must be great

• The loss of access to reinforcement must be contingent upon a target behavior

• There is a resultant decrease in the future probability of the behavior (otherwise it is likely not time out from reinforcement because the EO that preceded the behavior was not a reinforcing, “time-in” environment)



Time-out Procedures• Nonexclusion

– Planned ignoring– Withdrawal of a specific positive reinforcer– Contingent observation– Time-out ribbon

• Exclusion– Time-out room– Partition time-out– Hallway time-out



Nonexclusion Time-out

• The individual is not completely removed physically from time-in setting

• However, position within the environment may shift



Planned Ignoring• Social reinforcers--usually attention, physical

contact, or verbal interaction--are removed for a brief period– Systematically looking away from the student– Remaining quiet– Refraining from any interaction for a specified

period of time

• Planned ignoring is– Nonintrusive– Quick– Convenient



Withdrawal of a Specific Positive Reinforcer

• Some sort of positive reinforcer that is already present is removed for a brief period of time contingent upon a target behavior, and then reinstated

• Can be implemented as a group contingency



Contingent Observation

• The individual is repositioned within the existing setting– Observation of ongoing activities is still

possible– Access to reinforcement is lost, however



Time-out Ribbon• A colored band is placed on the child’s

wrist and is discriminative for receiving reinforcement– Child earns reinforcers when it is on

• Contingent upon a target behavior, the colored band is removed for a specified period of time– All social interaction is terminated– Other reinforcers are also withheld



Exclusion Time-out

• The individual is removed, physically, from the environment for a specified period of time

• Contingent upon the occurrence of a target behavior– Time-out room– Separated by partition– Placed in hallway



Time-out Room

• A confined space outside the individual’s normal educational or treatment environment

• It is devoid of any positive reinforcers; also minimally furnished

• It is safe (adequate heat and light), secure (but not locked) and temporary

• Near time-in setting



Advantages of Time-out Rooms

• Opportunity to acquire reinforcement is eliminated or reduced substantially

• After a few exposures, students learn to discriminate it from other rooms (making the time-in setting more desirable)

• Decreases risk of student hurting other students



Disadvantages of Time-out Rooms

• Must escort students to time-out• May result in resistance, emotional

outbursts• Access to ongoing instruction is

prohibited• Individuals may engage in behaviors

(e.g., self-injury) that should be stopped but go undetected

• Negative public perception



Partition Time-out

• Individual remains in time-in setting, but his view within the setting is restricted by a partition, wall, or cubicle

• Advantage: Keeps individual in instructional setting

• Disadvantages: Individual still may be able to obtain covert reinforcement, negative public perception



Hallway Time-out

• Individual sits in hallway outside of classroom or treatment area

• Not highly recommended strategy– Individual can obtain reinforcement from a

multitude of sources– Child can escape easily



Desirable Aspects of Time-out

• Ease of application (especially nonexclusion time-out)

• Acceptability (especially nonexclusion)

• Rapid suppression of problem behavior

• Easily combined with other procedures, such as differential reinforcement



Effective Use of Time Out• Reinforce and enrich the time-in

environment– Utilize differential reinforcement to

reinforce alternative and incompatible behaviors

• Clearly define the behaviors leading to time-out– All parties (including the target individual)

should have explicit, observable definitions of the problem behavior



Effective Use of Time Out

• Define procedures for the duration of time-out– Initial duration should be short– Longer than 15 minutes ineffective

• Define exit criteria– If individual is misbehaving when time-out

ends, it should be continued until inappropriate behavior ceases



Effective Use of Time Out• Exclusion vs. nonexclusion time-out

– Consider institutional policies that may prevent exclusion time-out

– Physical factors (i.e., lack of appropriate space) may prevent exclusion time-out

• Explain time-out rules to the individual– Target behaviors, duration, exit criteria

• Obtain permission– Administrative approvals– Parental approvals



Effective Use of Time Out• Apply consistently• Evaluate effectiveness

– Target behavior should decrease– Track frequency and duration of time outs– Also track collateral behaviors for side

effects

• Consider other options• Consider legal and ethical issues



Response Cost• Loss of a specific amount of

reinforcement• Contingent upon a target behavior• Reduces the future probability of the

target behavior• Examples: reclaiming awards or

stickers, “fines” (e.g., loss of tokens or money)



Example

SD

Adult says, “Let’s open

our books to page 12.

Each of you should read

the first paragraph to your buddy.”

Response

Child pokes his

buddy

SR-

5 minutes of the recess

time is removed

Poking a buddy occurs less often in the future when the teacher gives a classroom instruction and recess is available.

EO

Child has 15 minutes of recess on schedule

every morning.



Desirable aspects of Response Cost

• Produces rapid decreases in the target behavior

• Convenient and easy to implement (can be incorporated into existing token or allowance programs)

• Is easily combined with other approaches (such as differential reinforcement)



Methods of Response Cost

• Direct fine

• Bonus response cost

• Combined with positive reinforcement

• Group arrangements



Fines• Directly fine a specific amount of the

positive reinforcer

• Consider legal and ethical appropriateness– e.g., denying access to food and free time

may be unethical or undesirable– Obtain permission from human rights

review committees



Bonus Response Cost

• Make additional reinforcers available to the individual, specifically for removal during a response-cost contingency

• This may relieve many of the legal and ethical dilemmas involved with response cost



Combining with Positive Reinforcement

• Combine with point/token programs (differential reinforcement)

• Advantages– If all points or tokens are not lost, they can

be exchanged for back-up reinforcers– The use of reinforcers reduce the legal and

ethical concerns



Combining with Group Contingencies

• Contingent upon any member of a group, the entire group loses a specified amount of reinforcement



Effective Use of Response Cost

• Specifically define the target behaviors that will result in response cost, as well as the fines

• Establish rules for refusals to comply with the response-cost procedure, and explain these

• Greater fines should be associated with more severe forms of problem behavior– Be cautious of making fines so great that

the individual becomes “bankrupt”




• Fines should be posed immediately

• Response cost vs. bonus response cost– Use least aversive initially (bonus response

cost)• Increases acceptability• Decreases emotional outbursts

• Ensure reinforcement reserve (decrease likelihood of “bankruptcy”




• Be prepared for unplanned or unexpected outcomes– Response cost can reinforce rather than

punish undesirable behavior– Individuals can refuse to give up positive

reinforcers

• Avoid overuse

• Keep records to evaluate effectiveness



Response Cost Considerations• Increased aggression may occur

– Ignore emotional outbursts when possible• Either don’t use response cost if this is expected• Or be prepared to ride out the storm

• Avoidance of the person who administers response cost or the setting may occur– These become “conditioned aversive stimuli”– Make sure positive reinforcement is available

for appropriate behavior to reduce the likelihood of this outcome



Response Cost Considerations

• Collateral reductions of desirable behaviors may occur– Response cost may unintentionally

suppress other, desirable behaviors, as well as the target problem behaviors

• Response cost calls attention to inappropriate behaviors

• Be prepared for unpredictability

Documents

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved Chapter 15: Punishment