AVERSIVE CONTROLAVERSIVE CONTROLThe Dark Side of BehaviorismThe Dark Side of Behaviorism

Tristram Jones, Ph.D.Tristram Jones, Ph.D.Kaplan University PS517 Unit VKaplan University PS517 Unit V

There are two basic ways to There are two basic ways to apply AVERSIVE CONTROL:apply AVERSIVE CONTROL:

WITHDRAW A REINFORCER (or)WITHDRAW A REINFORCER (or) DELIVER A PUNISHMENT!DELIVER A PUNISHMENT!

““Most people report ‘not liking’ aversive Most people report ‘not liking’ aversive control” control” (Your TEXT, p 463)(Your TEXT, p 463)

Aversive Control uses the same 4 Aversive Control uses the same 4 contingenciescontingencies as Reinforcement! as Reinforcement!

When you think about it, When you think about it, ONLYONLY POSITIVE POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT IS REINFORCEMENT IS NOTNOT A FORM OF A FORM OF AVERSIVE CONTROL! (Mostly! AVERSIVE CONTROL! (Mostly! ) )

So what are the other varieties?So what are the other varieties?

NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT:NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT:Negative ReinforcementNegative Reinforcement strengthens a behavior strengthens a behavior

because a behavior is increased (or maintained) in because a behavior is increased (or maintained) in order to escape or avoid a stimulusorder to escape or avoid a stimulus . .

It’sIt’s

AversiveAversive

FASTER!In this depictiona beloved Disney character is encouraged to move morequickly!

PUNISHMENTPUNISHMENT always REDUCES always REDUCES a behavior—or is at least meant to!a behavior—or is at least meant to! It is punishment It is punishment by contingent by contingent

stimulationstimulation if it PRESENTS a stimulus! if it PRESENTS a stimulus!

In this In this depiction, depiction, the young the young lady is being lady is being discouraged discouraged from gossip from gossip through the through the presentation presentation of a of a stimulus! stimulus! Think Think positive!! positive!!

It’s It’s Aversive!Aversive!

It is It is PUNISHMENT PUNISHMENT by contingentby contingent withdrawalwithdrawal if it withdraws a if it withdraws a

stimulus! stimulus! NEGATIVE PUNISHMENTNEGATIVE PUNISHMENT occurs when something occurs when something

desired is taken away as a consequence of a certaindesired is taken away as a consequence of a certain

BEHAVIOR!BEHAVIOR!

YOU CAN HAVETHESE BACK WHENYOU STOP GETTING DRUNK AND RUNNING OVER PEDESTRIANS!

It’s It’s Aversive!Aversive!

So there are four types of So there are four types of contingencies….contingencies….

INCREASE A BEHAVIORINCREASE A BEHAVIOR

PRESENT STIMULUS:PRESENT STIMULUS: Positive ReinforcementPositive Reinforcement** WITHDRAW STIMULUS:WITHDRAW STIMULUS: Negative ReinforcementNegative Reinforcement

DECREASE A BEHAVIORDECREASE A BEHAVIOR PRESENT STIMULUS: Positive Punishment WITHDRAW STIMULUS: Negative PunishmentIF IT DECREASES BEHAVIOR IT’S PUNISHMENT!IF IT INCREASES BEHAVIOR IT’S REINFORCEMENT!

*Only non-aversive method of control

BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS USE BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS USE AVERSIVE CONTROL AVERSIVE CONTROL

STRATEGIES ONLY WHEN THEY STRATEGIES ONLY WHEN THEY CAN’T GET POSITIVE CAN’T GET POSITIVE

REINFORCEMENT TO WORK!REINFORCEMENT TO WORK!

THREE TACTICS OF ADVERSIVE THREE TACTICS OF ADVERSIVE CONTROLCONTROL

TACTIC ONE:TACTIC ONE: Decrease Decrease undesirable undesirable behavior through behavior through “punishment by “punishment by contingentcontingent

STIMULATION”STIMULATION”

(Positive Punishment)(Positive Punishment)

THREE TACTICS OF ADVERSIVE THREE TACTICS OF ADVERSIVE CONTROLCONTROL

TACTIC TWO:TACTIC TWO: Decrease Decrease undesirable undesirable behavior through behavior through punishment by punishment by “contingent“contingent

WITHDRAWAL”WITHDRAWAL” (Negative Punishment)(Negative Punishment)

THREE TACTICS OF ADVERSIVE THREE TACTICS OF ADVERSIVE CONTROLCONTROL

TACTIC THREE:TACTIC THREE: INCREASEINCREASE a a desirable behaviordesirable behavior

throughthrough

NEGATIVE NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENTREINFORCEMENT

ALWAYS USED AS A LAST RESORT. AS RODDY IS DEMONSTRATING IN THE ABOVE SCENE FROM “CLASS OF ’84”

YES???

This brings us to FUNCTIONAL This brings us to FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS!ANALYSIS!

THIS IS BASIC ADLERIAN or THIS IS BASIC ADLERIAN or GLASSERIAN theory! GLASSERIAN theory! ALL BEHAVIOR ALL BEHAVIOR HAS A MOTIVE AND A HAS A MOTIVE AND A PAYOFFPAYOFF even if even if people don’t think about it!people don’t think about it!

FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS = UNDERSTANDING THE PAYOFFS!

People who choose poorly People who choose poorly usually wind up with undesired usually wind up with undesired

consequences!consequences!

EACH OF THESE PEOPLE LOST SOME POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

Let’s talk about Let’s talk about CUTTINGCUTTING—it’s not —it’s not just for BORDERLINES any more!just for BORDERLINES any more!

Iwata (1994)Iwata (1994) found that 26% of found that 26% of cutters were motivated by cutters were motivated by misused positive social misused positive social attention. Also, 38% of the attention. Also, 38% of the cases resulted from learned cases resulted from learned behavior (caregivers giving into behavior (caregivers giving into these behaviors). Sensory these behaviors). Sensory stimulation accounted for the stimulation accounted for the remaining 26%. THIS IS a kind remaining 26%. THIS IS a kind of meta- functional analysis of of meta- functional analysis of self cutting! So what do we doself cutting! So what do we do

with these insights?with these insights?

What’s to be done?What’s to be done? First instance, reinforcement is being misused by First instance, reinforcement is being misused by

parents or authorities when attention is sought—parents or authorities when attention is sought—withhold attention for self injury and increase it for withhold attention for self injury and increase it for alternatives!alternatives!

Second instance, caregiver’s behavior is somehow Second instance, caregiver’s behavior is somehow aversive to the subject. Too demanding? Too nasty? aversive to the subject. Too demanding? Too nasty? Too intimidating? Cutting removes them from the Too intimidating? Cutting removes them from the situation. Fix this by teaching caregiver new situation. Fix this by teaching caregiver new methods, and subject ways to limit the aversive methods, and subject ways to limit the aversive aspect of the caregiver’s methods (Say stop!)aspect of the caregiver’s methods (Say stop!)

Third instance—difficult! Eliminate the sensory Third instance—difficult! Eliminate the sensory stimuli and/or teach simple skills for creating stimuli and/or teach simple skills for creating healthier stimuli! healthier stimuli!

Say Aloha to Brian Iwata!Say Aloha to Brian Iwata! Using positive Using positive

reinforcement, reinforcement, extinction, and extinction, and differential differential reinforcement, Iwata reinforcement, Iwata claims his team at U of claims his team at U of Florida scored an 85% Florida scored an 85% success rate with success rate with cutters of every type. cutters of every type. What do you think?What do you think?

But weren’t we discussing But weren’t we discussing FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS?FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS?

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Functional analysisFunctional analysis is the application of the is the application of the laws of laws of operant conditioningoperant conditioning to establish the to establish the relationships between relationships between stimuli and responsesstimuli and responses. To . To establish the function of a behavior, one typically establish the function of a behavior, one typically examines the "three-term contingency.”examines the "three-term contingency.”

Identify the antecedent or trigger of the behavior, A, the Identify the antecedent or trigger of the behavior, A, the behavior itself, B, (as it has been behavior itself, B, (as it has been operationalizedoperationalized), and ), and identifying the consequences of the behavior, C. which identifying the consequences of the behavior, C. which continue to maintain it.continue to maintain it.

Functional analysis in BEHAVIORISM employs Functional analysis in BEHAVIORISM employs principles derived from BEHAVIORISM, right???principles derived from BEHAVIORISM, right???

““Now, you listen to me….!”Now, you listen to me….!”

PLEASE don’t PLEASE don’t tie yourself to tie yourself to the the BEHAVIORAL BEHAVIORAL model at this model at this stage, unless stage, unless you happen to you happen to have a shrine have a shrine to Burrhus to Burrhus Frederic in your Frederic in your den! Think den! Think deeper!deeper!

There are other keys to behavior!There are other keys to behavior!

And while we’re on the subject…And while we’re on the subject… Is Is BEHAVIORISMBEHAVIORISM the key to a paradise on earth as men like the key to a paradise on earth as men like

Iwata and Skinner have long argued? Do you with agree with Iwata and Skinner have long argued? Do you with agree with

Richelle thatRichelle that “Movements for freedom…are in “Movements for freedom…are in essence escape behaviors!”essence escape behaviors!”

Who the heck is this RICHELLE dude, Ben?