PSYC2001: Applied Behavior Analysis Foundations. Psychology Essay.

Overview

In this week, you are learning the concept of operant extinction and how it is applied to change behavior. Make sure you complete the Operant Extinction interactive activity this week, which will provide you with some valuable experience you can apply to this assignment.



Operant extinction procedures are frequently used effectively in ABA treatment plans. However, as you observed in the interactive media presentation you completed, they can also be incorrectly implemented. This improper implementation can unknowingly reinforce behavior we want to decrease. As a future ABA professional, it is important for you to learn how to correctly identify maintaining antecedents and consequences that reinforce unwanted behavior, and to correctly apply extinction techniques that effectively reduce the target behavior.



Instructions

In order to successfully complete this assignment, you will first identify a behavior frequently exhibited by yourself or by someone close to you, to which you would like to apply an extinction procedure. Use the Operant Extinction Template [DOCX] to complete the following:



Describe a scenario that includes a behavior targeted for decrease. Include information on the environmental context this behavior occurs in and a specific example.

Due to the challenging nature of explaining extinction for automatically reinforced behaviors, I would avoid using situations where the behavior provides its own reinforcement (ex: behaviors that have a sensory reinforcement component, behaviors where reinforcement occurs without someone else providing it).

Define the behavior operationally and provide examples, especially if there are different topographies of behavior.

Describe the antecedent to the behavior and provide examples of what the antecedent could look like in different situations.

Describe the consequences of the behavior and provide examples of what the consequence looks like when it occurs.

Describe positive and negative reinforcement contingencies that occur as a result of engaging in the behavior.

For this section you will explain why the behavior is continuing; what is reinforcing it? For example, if yelling at the grocery store is followed up with getting candy, it is being positively reinforced. That is why this behavior we are trying to decrease is still occurring!

Identify procedures that can end up reinforcing the unwanted target behavior, and explain the potential results of improperly implementing these procedures that were meant to help extinguish the unwanted target behavior.

This is similar to the prompt above: is anything being done that could accidentally reinforce behavior (like removing a person from an environment they do not like to be in as a result of the targeted behavior)? Why would accidentally reinforcing a behavior make it harder to decrease?

Identify the extinction techniques that you feel will most effectively reduce the target behavior and explain why you feel these will be most effective.

Based on what has been reinforcing the behavior up to this point, what would need to be withheld in an extinction protocol?

In this section you can explain considerations that need to be made to ensure that extinction is effective but avoid filling this section with other behavior change strategies.

Be sure to complete the self-assessment grading rubric included in the template.



Use this assignment as a chance to practice your scholarly writing. It should be written in third person using scholarly language and the ABA vocabulary we practice in our course. Review the ToneLinks to an external site. section of the Writing Center to learn more. Be sure to click on all of the sub-links in the left nav.



Assignment Requirements

Written communication: Should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.

APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to current APA style guidelines. Use Academic WriterLinks to an external site. for guidance in citing sources in proper APA style. See the Writing CenterLinks to an external site. for more APA resources specific to your degree level.

Resources: At least one scholarly or professional sources. You are encouraged to use your textbook as a source.

Length: 4–5 double-spaced pages, in addition to a title page and reference page.

Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and rubric criteria:



Competency 1: Investigate the field of applied behavior analysis.

Define the maintaining antecedents, the targeted behavior to be extinguished, and the consequences that reinforce the behavior.

Competency 2: Apply the basic principles and concepts of behavioral change.

Identify procedures that could potentially reinforce the unwanted target behavior.

Distinguish positive and negative reinforcements that occur as the result of engaging in the target behavior.

Competency 3: Apply advanced principles and concepts of behavioral change.

Determine the extinction techniques that will most effectively reduce the target behavior.

Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.

Write coherently to support a central idea, with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a psychology professional.

Successfully implement APA style.

Include grading rubric and is mostly accurate with self-assessment with a few errors.