Part 1: After reading the chapter on antecedent control procedures, turn to page 351 in the Miltenberger digital text, and select one of the six “misapplications” cases. In your main post, briefly recap the case and discuss the reason the antecedent control procedure is not being used effectively. Provide an alternative plan that includes at least one antecedent control strategy from your reading.

Part 2: Using the alternative plan that you have created, select one of the methods of promoting generalization discussed in Chapter 28 of Cooper, Heron, and Heward, and discuss how you would incorporate this method of generalization into your corrected behavior management plan.

Chapter 28: Generalization and Maintenance of Behavior Change

Chapter Summary

A behavior is said to have generalized if the trained behavior occurs at other times or in other places without having to be retrained completely in those particular times or places, or if functionally related behaviors occur that were not trained directly. This chapter concentrates on three main types of generalized behavior change: response maintenance, setting/situation generalization, and response generalization. Response maintenance refers to the extent to which a learner continues to perform a behavior after a portion or all of the intervention responsible for the initial change in behavior has been removed. Setting/situation generalization is the extent to which a learner emits the target behavior in settings or situations that are different from the instructional setting or the setting in which the behavior was originally trained. Finally, response generalization refers to the extent to which a learner emits untrained responses that are functionally equivalent to the trained response. Some interventions may yield large and widespread generalization across time, settings, and other behaviors; while other interventions may only produce very limited generalization. Undesirable generalization can also occur in both setting/situation generalization and response generalization, and can produce undesired outcomes for the learner.

Generalized behavior change involves systematic planning. The first step in promoting generalized behavior changes is to select target behaviors that will meet naturally existing contingencies of reinforcement. Identifying all of the desired behavior changes and all the environments in which the learner should emit the target behaviors after training is removed will assist in the planning process by prioritizing the scope of the teaching task and determining which behaviors require instruction through direct teaching.

Stokes and Baer (1977) proposed “an implicit technology of generalization” and researchers continue to develop this into explicit strategies and tactics for promoting generalized behavior change. Strategies and tactics for promoting generalized behavior change are varied. They include teaching sufficient examples, conducting generalization probes, having the learner practice a variety of response topographies, general case analysis, incorporating negative teaching examples, programming common stimuli, teaching loosely, using intermittent schedules of reinforcement, and delayed rewards. In addition to these strategies for promoting generalized behavior change, other tactics can be utilized to mediate generalization. Bringing the target behavior under the control of a contrived stimulus in the instructional setting and teaching the learner self-management skills are two additional methods to ensure generalization of behavior.

Assignment: Misapplications and generalization

When using any type of intervention to change a behavior, it is impractical, impossible, and undesirable to continue the intervention indefinitely. Therefore, shifting from intervention to a normal everyday environment can be accomplished by gradual withdrawal of three distinct components of the training program. Some learners may require some level of ongoing intervention in which constant monitoring and program evaluation will be required.

Finally, in developing and enhancing means of promoting generalized behavior change, there are five guiding principles. These principles are: (1) minimize the need for generalization as much as possible, (2) conduct generalization probes before, during, and after instruction, (3) involve significant others whenever possible, (4) promote generalized behavior change with the least intrusive, least costly tactics possible, and (5) contrive intervention tactics as needed to achieve important generalized outcomes.

Chapter Objectives

Define and provide examples of the different basic forms of generalized behavior change.
Define and provide examples of the different undesirable types of generalized behavior change.
Discuss planning techniques for generalized behavior change.
List and discuss strategies and tactics for promoting generalized behavior change.
Discuss how to modify and terminate successful interventions.
Name and discuss the guiding principles for promoting generalized outcomes.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS

Discussion Questions (DQ)

• Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, including a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words.
• Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source.
• One or two-sentence responses, simple statements of agreement, or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words.
• I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.

Weekly Participation

• Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately.
• In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies.
• Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work).
• Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week.

APA Format and Writing Quality

• Familiarize yourself with APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required).
• Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation.
• I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.

Use of Direct Quotes

• I discourage overutilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Masters’s level and deduct points accordingly.
• As Masters’s level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content.
• It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source.

 

LopesWrite Policy

• For assignments that need to be submitted to LopesWrite, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me.
• Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes.
• Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own?
• Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.

Late Policy

• The university’s policy on late assignments is 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies.
• Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances.
• If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect.
• I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension.
• As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.

Communication

• Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me: 
  • Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class.
  • Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours.