Stimulus Control

Stimulus Control • The development of a stimulus as a signal for the occurrence of a specified response • The signal indicates the availability of positive reinforcement for that response • The reinforcement is available only in the presence of the stimulus and only when that response is made

Generalization • A naïve organism, when encountering a stimulus, will not know what that stimulus signifies • The organism might respond randomly and inconsistently to that stimulus • The stimulus does not exert control over the behavior • Many different responses might occur in the presence of a stimulus

Discrimination • The act of differential responding to stimuli • A response occurs only in the presence of a particular stimulus • Certain responses will be reinforced in the presence of the stimulus • The response will only be reinforced in the presence of that stimulus • Other responses will not be reinforced in the presence of the stimulus

Discriminative Stimuli • Those stimuli which signal the availability of reinforcement for specified responses are known as discriminative stimuli • Other responses that might occur in the presence of the stimulus will not be reinforced • Ultimately, only those responses that are reinforced in the presence of a discriminative stimulus will occur when that stimulus is presented

Stimulus Control in the Classroom • The manner in which desks are arranged in the classroom will make a difference in the kinds of activities that are fostered in that environment

Van Dyke Houses • Buildings are isolated from each other as are individual apartments • Sense of isolation develops in tenants, lack of community spirit • Apathy toward living environment • Increase in crime

Brownsville Houses • Have an exposed stairway • Apartment units grouped, share common vestibule, staircase

Brownsville Houses • Exterior areas are under possible observation from apartments • Provides security and increasing resident use and responsibility

Problems of Distraction • Many people put in the time studying but much of that time is spent in distraction

Procrastination is often a problem of stimulus control • The desk serves as a discriminative stimulus for anything but studying

Breakfast 1/2 Grapefruit 1 slice whole wheat toast 8 oz. Skim milk Lunch 4 oz. lean broiled chicken breast 1 cup steamed zucchini 1 Oreo cookie Mid Afternoon snack Rest of the Oreos package 1qt. Rocky Road ice cream 1 jar hot fudge Dinner 2 loaves of garlic bread 1 large pepperoni pizza 1large pitcher of beer 3 Milky Way candy bars 1 frozen cheesecake A Typical Dieter’s Daily Food Intake

Overeating or Inactivity? • Many problems of weight control involve low levels of activity as much as they do overeating

Overeating Problems • The presence of food cues • The immediate reinforcement it provides * The positive reinforcement of good taste * The negative reinforcement of making us feel better when we are sad, anxious, etc. • The long delay of negative effects • It can be done anywhere

Leading a More Active Lifestyle • Exercise does not have to be structured and in a special place (gym), but can be incorporated into everyday life • Using stairs instead of elevators, walking instead of driving short distances, etc. are all calorie burners

Developing Healthy Eating Habits I • Do not go on a diet but change the way you eat on a permanent basis • Stimulus narrowing: eat only in specified places and nowhere else • Eat small meals often rather than 2 or 3 big ones • Eat only when you are hungry: stop and think before you eat • Proceed slowly, expecting to lose no more than 6 to 8 pounds per month • Keep a journal of everything eaten, including what, how much, when, where, and how you felt

Developing Healthy Eating Habits II: Grocery Shopping • Make a list of needed items before you go • Do not take checks, ATM, or credit cards • Take just the amount of cash you feel will be needed to pay for the items on the list • Do not grocery shop when you are hungry • Avoid aisles with snack and junk food that you do not need

Developing Healthy Eating Habits III: What to Do With Food at Home • Once food is in the house, put it away, preferably out of sight • The more difficult it is to get to or prepare, the less likely it will be eaten • Keep a journal of everything eaten, including what, how much, when, where, and how you felt • Eat only in one place and not while engaged in any other activity • When anything is eaten, put out a full place setting and then clean it up

Developing Healthy Eating Habits IV: Preparing and Eating Meals • Prepare only as much food as will be necessary for the meal • Do not overly sample while preparing • Serve portions onto plates; do not place bowls or pans of food on the table • Any leftover food should be put away or discarded before sitting down to eat • Eat slowly

Preparing and Eating Meals, cont’d • Stimulus narrowing: eat only in specified places and nowhere else • Eat small meals often rather than 2 or 3 big ones • Eat only when you are hungry; stop and think before you eat: “Do I really need this food?” • Stop eating when you are full • Do not totally deprive yourself of any favorite food but allow small amounts of it once in a while

Developing Healthy Eating Habits V: At Other Times • Be as active as possible; set up regular exercise • Have a support group, perhaps friends with similar problems, you can talk to during times of temptation • Get your family and close friends to support your efforts • Do not weigh often, only about once a week, as weight loss will be slow and uneven • Expect occasional setbacks; don’t be discouraged; just get back on track as soon as possible

Prompting Presenting a discriminative stimulus for a response that is used to induce a desirable response or to discourage an undesirable response

Varieties of Prompts • Verbal Prompts: spoken or written words intended to induce a desired behavior (instructions, advice, or commands • Gestural prompts: physical movements previously established as discriminative stimuli for specific behaviors • Picture or symbolic prompts: a stimulus that illustrates a behavior • Physical prompts: induces correct responding by manually guiding the person’s movements

Advantages and Disadvantages of Prompting • Advantage: Desired behaviors can be quickly induced with relatively little effort • Disadvantage: The prompts can become a crutch and must then be eliminated

Stimulus Control