the shaping game mickey keenan university of ulster n. ireland
TRANSCRIPT
The Shaping Game
Mickey KeenanUniversity of Ulster
N. Ireland
The Shaping Game
2
A science of behaviour
The behavioural stream
Differential reinforcement
Shaping demonstration
The Celestial Sphere
Old World ViewScienti
st
New World View
What kinds of changes are likely to be observed under specific circumstances?
Why is this person behaving in this way?
If I wanted to produce particular kinds of changes, what sorts of circumstances should I arrange?
Explanation: A statement about the kinds of changes one is likely to see under specific circumstancesCan now answer questions like these:
Technology of behaviour:
The Behavioural StreamThe Behavioural Stream
The Behavioural StreamThe Behavioural Stream
The Behavioural StreamThe Behavioural Stream
The Behavioural StreamThe Behavioural Stream
Measuring BehaviourDimensions
Topographical
What the behaviour looks
like
QuantitativeFrequencyDurationLatency
TargetBehaviour
Differential Reinforcement of Successive
Approximations
Rft
Rft
Rft
Rft
Rft
DifferentialDifferential ReinforcementReinforcement
Behavioural Stream
Behavioural Stream
Differential ReinforcementDifferential Reinforcement
Differing sounds across time
Differing sounds across time
Differential ReinforcementDifferential Reinforcement
(i.e.,Variability)(i.e.,Variability)
More attention given to some sounds than othersMore attention given to
some sounds than others
Differential ReinforcementDifferential Reinforcement
In presence of parent
Differential Reinforcement
In presence of parent
A variety of sounds occur
Differential Reinforcement
In presence of parent
Attention given to recognisable sounds
A variety of sounds occur
Differential Reinforcement
In presence of parent
Attention given to recognisable sounds
These sounds happen more often while others
decrease(some variability)
Differential Reinforcement
In presence of peers
Attention given to social behaviour
A variety of behaviours occur
Differential Reinforcement
Differential Reinforcement
In presence of peers
These behaviours happen more often while others decrease (some variability)
Attention given to social behaviour
Shaping
Planning for changes in behaviour
Select
Shaping
Differential Reinforcement
Select
Shaping
Change Criterion for Reinforcement(i.e., select a different behaviour)
Createsvariability
Select
Shaping
Select Change Criterion
Createsvariability
Change Criterion for Reinforcement(i.e., select a different behaviour)
Shaping
Select Change Criterion for Reinforcement
Select Change Criterion
Select
Select
Select
Select
Change Criterion
Change Criterion
Change Criterion
Goal
Differential Reinforcement
Successive approximations
Shaping
In the Natural EnvironmentLearning to walk on ice, riding a
bicycle ..... Advances in science and technology have been shaped by successes and failures in dealing with nature
Shaping
TeachingThe effective teacher picks student up at precisely his/her current skill level. Shaping ensures that learning is enjoyable because students are rewarded for doing what they do best at each step
Shaping
IF this behaviour ... THEN this consequence
Let this path represent a segment of time and space
OK, your instructions are very simple. You have to make that light come on by behaving. OK, and I’ll tap the table when you’re finished. OK, begin!
IF this behaviour ... THEN this consequence
IF this behaviour ... THEN this consequence
IF this behaviour ... THEN this consequence
Differential Reinforcement
IF this behaviour ... THEN this consequence
If consequences had not been arranged across timein the way they were, Stephen would not have engagedin the target behaviour.
IF this behaviour ... THEN this consequence
This means the Explanation for his behaviour is found in the Contingencies that were arranged.
Stimulus Control
Further Exercises
Stimulus ControlFurther
Exercises
This next animation is a simulation of what I used to demonstrate Stimulus Control. The target behaviour was picking up something and placing it somewhere else. However, a chair is place in the path of the object to bring out ‘sitting down behaviour’, and a container is placed in front of the final component of the chain to bring out ‘putting in behaviour’. Prior to the acutal shaping you ask the class to consider the implications if the effects of Stimulus Control are evident. That is, ask them about the implications for the thoughts of the volunteer immediately before the actions take place. Given that we predict the behaviour, is their decision to engage in this behaviour an explanation for the behaviour? Or is it simply more behaviour of the behavioural stream?
Stimulus Control
DefinitionRecording
Stimulus Control
Further Exercises
DefinitionThe aim is to teach the importance of defining behaviour accurately by showing the consequences when this is not done properly.
Select 2 or more students to shape a behaviour at the same time. The behaviour you ask them to shape must be described IMPRECISELY and you begin the exercise quickly before they have a chance to seek clarification.
During shaping each student will have a different definition of the target behaviour and confusion will arise. Interrupt the exercise to ask the person being shaped how s/he feels. You will get some indication of stress. Use this information to draw attention to two issues:
1. Although this is a role play, a real person is experiencing real stress. The explanation is found in the contingencies in operation.
2. Lack of agreed definitions of the target behaviour (s) is the problem. In a family setting this can cause problems when all are not working together as a team. In effect, each person shaping is functioning as a family member and this family isn’t organised!
RecordingThe aim is to (i) teach the importance of having agreed definitions of behaviour, and (ii) to show the limitations of the behavioural interview.
(i) Prepare in advance a rough outline of the floor area where the shaping is to take place. Copy this onto several pieces of clear plastic film for an overhead projector. Give each piece of film to a student along with a coloured pen so s/he can draw on it. Tell students that they can ‘record’ behaviour by following the path of the person being shaping by simply tracing the path on the film. Reinforcer occurrences are marked with a tick.
(ii) Before you begin the shaping exercise send out of the room the person to be shaped AND another person. Don’t say anything about this second person. Next, select your target behaviour and begin the exercise. When finished, collect the data sheets (i.e., the plastic films) and place them on the data projector, on top of each other. Draw attention to inconsistency in the data. Next, bring in the other person to the room. Say to him/her that s/he is free to interview the person who was shaped. For example, s/he could simply say “What did you do?”. The whole class will see what this second person didn’t see, and even the rough data sheets provide more information than is available from the verbal report.
Timing Short delayv
Long delay
DefinitionRecording
Stimulus Control
Further Exercises
TimingThis exercise is intended to show the effects of delaying the reinforcer presentation.
When the person being shaped has left the room, ask about 10 or more students to secretly hold hands in such a way that when s/he returns s/he will not notice. This chain of people constitutes a controlled delay mechanism. The first person in the chain is to do the shaping. Once s/he is ready to deliver a reinforcer, s/he squeezes the hand of the next person in the chain. Hand squeezing moves along the chain until the last person feels the squeeze. At this point, the last person delivers the reinforcer.
Timing/ContingencyThis exercise is intended to show the effects of disrupting the behaviour-reinforcer contingency.
Send 3 people out of the room. Bring in 1 person and during the shaping game record the sound of the clicker during the session.Bring in a second person and simply play back the recording, being sure to use the same instructions as used with the first person. Repeat with the 3rd person.