Assessing the effects of a modified DRO procedure from the perspective of behavioral momentum theory

Document Type

Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree

M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis

Date Completed

2017

First Committee Member

Ahearn, William

Second Committee Member

Dube, William

Third Committee Member

Pinkston, Jonathan

Abstract

"Behavioral momentum theory describes the persistence of behavior in terms of its history of reinforcement (behavioral mass) and response rate (velocity) as a metaphor of Newton’s second law of motion. In applied settings where reinforcement-based procedures (e.g., DRO and DRA) are commonly used to reduce problem behavior, it has been found that these treatments can decrease problem behavior but may also increase response persistence. The present study compared a commonly used intervention for stereotypy, differential reinforcement of other behavior or DRO, with a modified DRO to determine whether modifying the delivery of reinforcement may decrease the persistence-building effects of the DRO. In the standard DRO condition, reinforcers were delivered in the context in which responding was observed after a specified interval had elapsed in the absence of stereotypy. In the modified DRO condition, reinforcers were delivered in a different location after that same interval had elapsed. While the modified DRO was not found to be effective in reducing stereotypy, greater behavioral persistence was observed in the context in which the standard DRO treatment had been implemented. The implications of these findings as they relate to applied settings and the use of reinforcement-based treatments are discussed."

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