PSYB45H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Reinforcement, Involuntary Treatment
Document Summary
Examination of the relationship between the problem behavior and its antecedents and consequences. Functional assessment: the variety of approaches for attempting to identify antecedents and consequences for behavior. Procedures: functional analysis (experimental functional assessment): systematic manipulation of environmental events to experimentally test their role in maintaining problem behavior. Important implication: treatment should be based on the function of behavior not its form. Resource intensive (cost, time: questionnaire assessment: Completed by people familiar with the client. Limitation: indirect assessment; not direct: observational assessment: Form hypotheses about antecedents + consequences based on direct observation. Major causes of problem behavior: (other than medical causes) Operant: 6 subtypes: positive reinforcement: social. Clues: person approaches caregiver and smiles prior to behavior. Use social attention as reinforcer for alternative behavior. Reduce attention paid to problem behavior: positive reinforcement: self-stimulation. Behavior is maintained by internal self-reinforcing sensation or stimulation. Clues: behavior continues at steady rate even though it has no visible effect on others or the environment.
