A Preliminary Examination of a Vocal Generalized Conditioned Reinforcer

Abstract

Generalized conditioned reinforcers (GCRs) in the form of tokens are commonly used in behavioral treatment. However, it is possible for non‐tangible consequences to also function as GCRs. For example, a vocal stimulus (e.g., good job) associated with completion of a work task, access to preferred actives, and peer interaction could function as a GCR. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of pairing a vocal stimulus with multiple edible reinforcers on the Frequency math problem completion. The results suggest that a vocal statement paired with an array of four back‐up reinforcer functioned as a GCR for completing math problems for two typically developing children identified as having minor deficits in math skills. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessment and treatment of escape from attention in the form of conversation

“…It is crucial to conceptualize attention as entailing different social topographies, rather than a stimulus class maintained by the same functional reinforcer. These different forms of attention may have appetitive or aversive consequences depending on motivating operations (Cengher & Miguel, 2019) or conditioning history (Axe & Laprime, 2017; Dozier et al, 2012; Dudley et al, 2019; Greer et al, 2008; Helton & Ivy, 2016; Holth et al, 2009; Rodriguez & Gutierrez, 2017; Taylor‐Santa et al, 2014). Therefore, there is likely within‐ and across‐subject variability concerning the functional properties of these different forms of attention.…”

“…There is a growing body of research on preference assessments aimed to determine the differential preference for and reinforcer effectiveness of these different forms of attention (Kelly, Roscoe, Hanley, & Schlichenmeyer, 2014; Strohmeier et al, 2018; Wolfe, Kunnavatana, & Shoemaker, 2018; Huntington et al, 2018; Morris & Vollmer, 2019). Future studies should continue to build on these, as well as to continue developing procedures to establish socially appropriate forms of attention as reinforcers (e.g., praise; Axe & Laprime, 2017; Dozier et al, 2012; Dudley et al, 2019; Greer et al, 2008; Helton & Ivy, 2016; Holth et al, 2009; Rodriguez & Gutierrez, 2017; Taylor‐Santa et al, 2014) in populations that have a deficit in this area, such as children with Autism spectrum disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).…”

“…Interestingly, the antecedent‐based treatments that were implemented by Harper et al (2013) failed to increase prosocial behavior even though they have been demonstrated to be effective in establishing a wide array of stimuli as reinforcers (Axe & Laprime, 2017; Dozier, Iwata, Thomason‐Sassi, Worsdell, & Wilson, 2012; Dudley, Axe, Allen, & Sweeney‐Kerwin, 2019; Greer, Singer‐Dudek, Longano, & Zrinzo, 2008; Helton & Ivy, 2016; Holth, Vandbakk, Finstad, Marie Grønnerud, & Mari Akselsen Sørensen, 2009; Rodriguez & Gutierrez, 2017; Taylor‐Santa et al, 2014). This failure to replicate may be because, in previous studies, the stimuli to be conditioned were presumably neutral, whereas in Harper et al (2013) social interaction was aversive.…”

Procedimentos para condicionar reforçadores para pessoas com TEA: revisão de literatura

“…Além disso, é importante ressaltar que, durante o período de 2000 a 2018, mais quatro pesquisas (Helton & Ivy, 2016;Singer-Dudek et al, 2011;Solberg et al, 2007;Tarbox et al, 2006) se propuseram a estudar procedimentos para condicionar reforçadores, mas, seus participantes não apresentavam TEA ou não tinham como objetivo principal, condicionar reforçadores e estes foram critérios de exclusão para a presente revisão. Portanto, novas pesquisas podem replicar esses estudos em crianças com TEA para investigar se as estratégias também seriam efetivas para essa população.…”

Establishing praise as a conditioned reinforcer: Pairing with one versus multiple reinforcers

“…Although there are procedures for conditioning praise as a reinforcer (Axe & Laprime, ; Dozier et al, ; Holth et al, ; Lovaas et al, ; Rodriguez & Gutierrez, ; Vandbakk et al, ) and there are procedures for establishing tokens and vocal stimuli as generalized conditioned reinforcers (Helton & Ivy, ; Moher et al, ; Russell et al, ), there are no published studies on establishing praise as a generalized conditioned reinforcer with children with autism. In addition, although there are supposed benefits of generalized compared with nongeneralized conditioned reinforcement, we found no studies comparing response rates under conditions of pairing with one versus multiple reinforcers.…”