A. The Issue and Daily Life Illustration: What is at stake here is sequencing of behavior. How is complex behavior built up other than by shaping?
B. Definition:
B-l Each stimulus in a chain has the dual function of reinforcing the response it follows and being a discriminative stimulus for the response it _______.
(PRECEDES)
B-2 In a response chain, a response is followed by a stimulus which in turn is followed by another response. The stimulus located between the two responses functions in two
different ways; one time it serves as a discriminative stimulus and the other time as a
_______ reinforcer.
(SECONDARY)
B-3 The same stimulus may be both a reinforcing stimulus and a stimulus. The sight of food is a stimulus for picking up the food, but also a reinforcing stimulus for coming to dinner.
(DISCRIMINATIVE)
B-4 While a stimulus in a chain is a discriminative stimulus for one response, it is also a reinforcer for another response, which it _______.
(FOLLOWS)
B-5 A reinforcing stimulus _______
a response which it reinforces. A discriminative
stimulus _______
a response which it controls.
(FOLLOWS) (PRECEDES)
B-6 In a chain of behavior, the same stimulus is both a secondary reinforcer and a _______
stimulus.
(DISCRIMINATIVE)
B-7 A stimulus will become a discriminative stimulus when a _______ which regularly
follows it is reinforced.
(RESPONSE)
B-8 Chaining involves the combining of several stimuli and responses, subsequently leading to _______.
(REINFORCEMENT)
For instance, in learning to drive a car, the novice may depend upon verbal commands issued by his/her driving instructor in order to maintain a smooth chain of behavior.
SD[1] ----> RA ----> Sr
SD[2] ---- RB ----> Sr
SD[3] ----> RC ----> Sr
where:
SD[1] = "Put it in low gear," car not moving
RA = push gear level to low
Sr and SD[2] = "Press accelerator," gear in low
RB = press accelerator
Sr and SD[3] = "Let out clutch," motor revolving moderately
RC = release clutch
Sr = "Good!" car moves forward
Can you apply the chaining principles to humans who are in an eating situation?
call to eat
SD -------------> "A" -------------> "B"
R Sr
sight of food food in mouth
SD -------------> "C" -------------> Sr
R
"D" -------------> "E" -------------> "F"
SD R SR
Select the letter which best indicates the position of the following (each letter can be used more than once.) The letters to be chosen are in quotation marks.
B-9 food on the fork (C)
B-10 sitting at the table (A)
B-ll sight of food (B)
B-12 food in mouth (D)
B-13 chewing (E)
B-14 a secondary reinforcer (B)
B-15 an unconditioned reinforcer (F)
B-16 a discriminative stimulus (D)
C. Application and Chaining:
1. Eating Chain: Some behaviors we think of as whole elements are actually many smaller elements or links of a chain of behavior, e.g., eating. Eating can be broken into such segments as:
SD R Sr
the call to eat ------> sitting at the table ----> sight of food
The reinforcer (sight of food) also serves as an SD for another response, thus:
SD R Sr
sight of food ------> placing food on fork -----> food in mouth
Again, food in the mouth also serves as an SD for other behaviors:
SD R SR
food in the mouth ---------> chewing ---------> satiation
Overeating: An interesting use of an operant approach to self-control for compulsive overeating is shown by Ferster, Nurenberger, and Levitt (1962). Operant techniques were used to dissociate eating from other events going on. The individual no longer ate when he/she watched TV, when he/she knitted, or when he/she read. As the person stated, "This took the fun out of eating." She ate at mealtime only and with a certain colored tablecloth. These were some of the steps to get eating to be a sort of a long chain. The chain of eating behavior was cut apart so that one could no longer shovel food in but rather had to wait successively longer between dainty fork fulls. This is a rather simple use of chaining.
2. A Second Eating Chain: Given the following series of events: The clock strikes twelve. The person leaving the room with the clock says, "I'm going to lunch." S/he gets up and goes to lunch. While sitting at the counter, s/he looks at the menu and orders food. The food is brought to the person and the person finally eats. Let us look at the example further. The clock approaching twelve is a stimulus to the person and s/he responds by getting up and leaving for lunch. Getting up is a stimulus to the person to seek out a lunch counter.
C-1. The clock, at twelve, is a SD to which the person responds:
a. by eating
b. by going to sleep
c. by getting up
d. by buying a watch
e. by talking of lunch (E)
Getting up is also a stimulus for the next response in the chain. This could be diagrammed as such:
SD R Sr
the clock at twelve -----> talking of lunch -----> getting up
SD R Sr
getting up ---> going toward a lunch counter ----> sitting there
C-2. The clock at twelve is a(n):
a. SD
b. response
c. conditioned reinforcer (A)
C-3. Getting up is both:
a. punishing and rewarding
b. response and rest period
c. SD and conditioned reinforcer
d. SD and conditioned reinforcer (C)
C-4. In chaining, an event can be both a discriminative stimulus and a conditioned reinforcer.
a. true
b. false (A)
Much behavior occurs in a sequence. A chain is defined as a sequence of behavior in which one response produces a stimulus change which increases the probability of occurrence of another response which, in turn, produces another stimulus change -- the sequence eventually leading to reinforcement. Many behaviors we talk of as elements can be divided into smaller segments.
C-5. A chain includes behavior that occurs in a:
a. series of one
b. random order
c. sequence
d. interrupted pattern (C)
C-6. The end result of the sequence, if uninterrupted is:
a. escape behavior
b. acquired immunity
c. positive reinforcement
d. avoidance behavior (C)
3. One Alcoholic Chain: Antecedent control is important even in such problems as drinking behavior. Stories are told of problem drinkers who could not sleep without drinking a pint of vodka. The chain or sequence of behavior is as follows:
On coming home, the man turned on the TV, which led to refrigerator behavior, eventually leading to ice in a glass. This in turn led to vodka in the glass. The drink led to bathroom and taking a shower, then going to bed with the bottle.
In one case it was suggested that the person reorganize his/her behavior by showering first when she/he came home, substituting cola for vodka in the
refrigerator at shopping time, and delaying the refrigerator behavior. This "scrambling" of previous chain links had the effect of decreasing vodka drinking probabilities in this particular case. This is not to say breaking up a chain is enough in all cases.
SD R Sr
showering -----> going to bed with bottle -----> drinking
SD R Sr
going to bathroom ------> undressing ---------> showering
SD R Sr
ice in glass ---> pouring drink (vodka) --> going in bathroom
SD R Sr
sight of ice ----> putting ice in glass ------> ice in glass
SD R Sr
Visual stimulus of TV ----> going to refrigerator ----> sight of ice
SD R Sr
Home ---------------> turning on TV ---------> Visual Stimulus of TV
4. Verbal Behavior One:
Chains can become very complex. In the following illustration two people are involved, a speaker and a listener. In the diagram below the speaker is above the line and the listener is below the line. Note that through the interaction of speaker and listener, a chain does exist:
SPEAKER:
(1) Audience (2) Saying (5) Receiving (6) Saying (9) Hearing
"Bread Please" "Bread" "Thank You" "You're Welcome"
SD R Sr & SD ------> R Sr
LISTENER:
(3) Hearing ---> (4) Passes (7) Hearing -----> (8) Saying
"Bread Please" "Bread" "Thank You" "You're Welcome"
SD R Sr & SD R
more details:
(l) (Audience) people sitting at a table and stimulus condition requiring bread (SD)
(2) (speaker) - "bread please" (response)
(3) (listener) - hear "bread please" (SD)
(4) (listener) - passes bread (response)
(5) (speaker) - handed bread (SD & Sr)
(6) (speaker) - "Thank You" - (response)
(7) (listener) - hearing "Thank You" (SD & Sr)
(8) (listener) - saying "You're Welcome" - (response)
(9) (speaker) - hearing "You're Welcome" - (Sr)
(see Skinner, 1954, Pages 38-39)
5. Verbal Behavior Two:
Let's look at a second example from the area of verbal behavior:
SPEAKER:
(1) Presence of (2) "What's (5) hearing (6) saying
Stranger your name?" "Lester" "Thank you"
SD R Sr & SD R
LISTENER:
(3) Hearing "What's (4) Saying (7) Hearing
your name?" "Lester" "Thank you"
SD R SR
more details:
(l) Presence of stranger (speaker)
(2) (speaker) - "What's your name?"
(3) (listener) - What's your name?
(4) (listener) - "Lester"
(5) (speaker) - Lester
(6) (speaker) - "thank you"
(7) (listener) - thank you
6. A Threat:
Let's look at a threat as a chain:
SPEAKER:
(1) Audience
(2) "Your money or (5) receives (6) threat withdrawn
your life" money
LISTENER:
(3) Hearing Threat ------> (4) Gives Money (7) Life Threat withdrawn
SD R Sr
more details:
(l) (audience) - and stimulus condition
(2) (speaker) - hearing - "your money or your life"
(3) (listener) - threat
(4) (listener) - gives money
(5) (speaker) - receives money
(6) (speaker) - threat withdrawn
(7) (listener) - life threat withdrawn