December 2012 Archives

Welcome to the bmod class. We would like you to spend a little time orienting yourself with the class blog site. Please read the course description on the 'Home Page.' Go to the 'Blog' and check out the types of assignments you will be doing over the semester. Check out the book 'ABCs' of Behavior Modification and see if the chapters download OK on the computer you are using. Look over the 'Syllabus' pages and make sure you understand what we will be doing this semester as it relates to the syllabus (Class schedule, Course Requirements, & Grading rubrics).

You should already have a temporary blog username and password for you to use, if not please email Dr. MacLin to get yours (or to have him resend yours - otto.maclin@uni.edu). You will receive an email later in the week showing you how to get a permanent username and password.  

Now click on the comment link (above), sign in and leave a comment. If you are using a temporary username make sure to put your intials at the top of your entry. In particular please state in your comment that that you basically went through the website, home page, syllabus, online book. That you understand the class schedule & course requirements and that you read through all sections of the syllabus.

Based on your experience reading through the website, please let us know if you have any questions, if there is anything you don't understand or if you experienced any problems.

Thanks!

--Dr. M

TB1 - By now you should have been able to log in and comment on the blog site. What we would like you to do now is to go to the following page and read some of the blog posts left from the students in the class before you.

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/2012/12/week-16-final-assignment-1.html

and

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/2012/10/att11-in-the-news---due-friday.html

After reading the posts please answer the following:
Which posts did you like the best? Why?
Has reading these posts changed your idea of what behavior modification is? Why or why not?
Based on these posts are there any specific topics you are interested in learning?

Thanks,

--Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 1.1 (ABC's of Behavior Modification) and 1.2 (Contingencies: Reinforcement & Punishment)

After reading section 1.1, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

After reading section 1.2, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

Prior to reading these sections, what did you think about behavior modification? Why? How has reading these sections changed what you originally thought about behavior modification? How so?

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Let us know if you have any questions,

--Dr. M

Hi Class,

We will go over this on when we meet on Thursday. If you are unsure how to do this assignment you might wait until after we meet in class.

This assignment will ask that you find interesting video clips on the internet. The clips can be cartoons like 'family guy,' sit coms like 'big bang,' commercials, music videos, just about anything you typically enjoy watching. What we do not want is a video produced to expressly demonstrate the specific behavioral topic.

For originality sake, make sure the videos you are not using the same videos used by students before you.

So far we have discussed reinforcement (increasing the frequency of a behavior as a result of the consequence)

What we would like you to do is to find a video clip off the internet illustrating reinforcement.

For this clip we would like you to 1) briefly describe/summarize the clip. 2) tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates the reinforced behavior (please note what time it occurs in the video), 3) tell us what the consequence of the behavior is, 4) tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something desirable or if it involves the removal of something undesirable, and finally, 5) tell us to the antecedent is.

Please list the ABC's of the target behavior in the clip:

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive reinforcement, or negative reinforcement. Explain why.

We have discussed punishment (decreasing the frequency of a behavior as a result of the consequence)

Now we would like you to do is to find a video clip off the internet illustrating punishment.

For this clip we would like you to 1) briefly describe/summarize the clip. 2) tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates the punished behavior (please note what time it occurs in the video), 3) tell us what the consequence of the behavior is, 4) tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something undesirable or if it involves the removal of something desirable, and finally, 5) tell us to the antecedent is.

Please list the ABC's of the target behavior in the clip:

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive punishment, or negative punishment. Explain why.

When you are done with both clips, copy and paste the URLs at the bottom so we can go and see the videos you used. Paste the reinforcement URL first and then the punishment URL.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Let us know if you have any questions

--Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 1.3 (Language of Behavior) and 1.4 (Some Behavioral Terms)

After reading section 1.3, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

After reading section 1.4, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

How has reading these sections changed or built on what you have learned so far about behavior modification? How so?

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

--Dr. M

Hi Class,

PART ONE - This assignment is very similar to the topical blog we did last week. We will go over this on when we meet on Thursday. If you are unsure how to do this assignment you might wait until after we meet in class.

This assignment will ask that you find interesting video clips on the internet. The clips can be cartoons like 'family guy,' sit coms like 'big bang,' commercials, music videos, just about anything you typically enjoy watching. What we do not want is a video produced to expressly demonstrate the specific behavioral topic.

For originality sake, make sure the videos you are not using the same videos used by students before you.

So far we have discussed extinction (not being reinforced for a previously reinforced behavior)

What we would like you to do is to find a video clip off the internet illustrating extinction.

For this clip we would like you to 1) briefly describe/summarize the clip. 2) tell us what previously reinforced behavior probably was (this might not be explicit in the video), 3) tell us what the consequence of the previously reinforced behavior probably was, 4) tell us if the consequence involved the addition of something desirable or if it involves the removal of something undesirable, 5) tell us what the antecedent is, 6) tell us what the topography of the extinguished behavior looks like (please note what time it occurs in the video), 7) discuss why you know this is extinction.

Please list the ABC's of the target behavior in the clip prior to extinction:

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive reinforcement, or negative reinforcement. Explain why.

What do you think will happen if the behavior gets reinforced again?

When you are done copy and paste the URL at the bottom so we can go and see the video you used.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

PART TWO - Behavior Observation. We would like you to observe a particular behavior you emit and record that behavior for a week.

1) State the behavior as a specific target behavior, 2) State how you are going to record the behavior, 3) although you are going to be the only person recording your behavior, what might some sources of inter-observer be when recording this behavior if more than one person were going to observe it, 4) knowing that you are going to begin recording this particular behavior, how might that change the frequency of the behavior?

Start recording the behavior every day until next Thursday.

Let us know if you have any questions

--Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 1.5 (More about Behaviors) and 2.1 (What is behavior Modification)

After reading section 1.5, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

After reading section 2.1, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

How has reading these sections changed or built on what you have learned so far about behavior modification? How so?

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Hi Class,

PART ONE - This assignment is very similar to the topical blog we did last week. We will go over this on when we meet on Thursday. If you are unsure how to do this assignment you might wait until after we meet in class.

This assignment will ask that you find interesting video clips on the internet. The clips can be cartoons like 'family guy,' sit coms like 'big bang,' commercials, music videos, just about anything you typically enjoy watching. What we do not want is a video produced to expressly demonstrate the specific behavioral topic.

For originality sake, make sure the videos you are not using the same videos used by students before you.

So far we have discussed discriminative stimuli (environmental cues indicating whether we will be reinforced or not)

What we would like you to do is to find a video clip off the internet illustrating a discriminative stimulus and how it affects behavior.

For this clip we would like you to 1) briefly describe/summarize the clip. 2) tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates the reinforced behavior (please note what time it occurs in the video), 3) tell us what the consequence of the behavior is, 4) tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something desirable or if it involves the removal of something undesirable, 5) tell us to the antecedent is, 6) tell us what the discriminative stimulus is, and finally 7) how does the discriminative stimulus affect the target behavior.

Please list the ABC's of the target behavior in the clip prior to the introduction of the discriminative stimulus:

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive reinforcement, or negative reinforcement. Explain why.

When you are done copy and paste the URL at the bottom so we can go and see the video you used.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

PART TWO - Behavior Observation. We asked you to observe a particular behavior you emit and to record that behavior for a week.

1) State the behavior as a specific target behavior, 2) State how you went about recording the behavior, 3) How well did your recording method work for you?, 4) simply based on observing your behavior, did it increase or decrease?

Let us know if you have any questions

--Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 2.2 (Reinforcement) and 2.3 (Punishment)

After reading section 2.2, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

After reading section 2.3, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

How has reading these sections changed or built on what you have learned so far about behavior modification? How so?

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

What we would like you to do is to continue applying what we are learning in class to real world matters. Some might ask, "What good is learning psychology if we can't apply it to real world matters?" So that is what we are going to do with this week's topical blog assignment.

What we would like you to do is to either go to NPR (http://www.npr.org/ ), the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ ) there are some good news source links at the bottom of the following page (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ listed in their news sources) and read, watch, or listen to something that is interesting to you and relates to reinforcement.

For your news I would like you to 1) briefly describe/summarize your piece, 2) tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates reinforcement, 3) tell us what the consequence of the behavior is, 4) tell us how, that consequence will increase the frequency of the behavior, 5) tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something desirable or if it involves the removal of something undesirable, finally 6) tell us to the antecedent is.

Please then list the ABC's of the behavior

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive reinforcement, or negative reinforcement. Explain why.

Tell us if it involves extinction, establishing operations, use as many terms from the chapters we have already covered as you can.

NOW what we would like you to do is to either go to a different news source, NPR (http://www.npr.org/ ), the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ ) there are some good news source links at the bottom of the following page (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ listed in their news sources) and read, watch, or listen to something that is interesting to you and relates to punishment.

For your news I would like you to 1) briefly describe/summarize your piece, 2) tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates punishment, 3) tell us what the consequence of the behavior is, 4) tell us how, that consequence will decrease the frequency of the behavior, 5) tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something undesirable or if it involves the removal of something desirable, finally 6) tell us to the antecedent is.

Please then list the ABC's of the behavior

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive punishment, or negative punishment. Explain why.

For originality sake, make sure the news pieces you are not using the same pieces of news the other students before you just used.

When you are done, copy and paste the URLs at the bottom so we can go and see the sources you used.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Let us know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 2.4 (Additional Concepts) and 2.5 (Schedules of Reinforcement)

After reading section 2.4, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

After reading section 2.5, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

How has reading these sections changed or built on what you originally thought about behavior modification? How so?

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

--Dr. M

We will go over this on when we meet on Thursday. If you are unsure how to do this assignment you might wait until after we meet in class.

This assignment will ask that you find interesting video clips on the internet. The clips can be cartoons like 'family guy,' sit coms like 'big bang,' commercials, music videos, just about anything you typically enjoy watching. What we do not want is a video produced to expressly demonstrate the specific behavioral topic.

For originality sake, make sure the videos you are not using the same videos used by students before you.

So far we have discussed superstitious behavior and schedules of reinforcement.

What we would like you to do is to find a video clip off the internet illustrating superstitious behavior.

For this clip we would like you to 1) briefly describe/summarize the clip. 2) tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates the superstitious behavior (please note what time it occurs in the video), 3) tell us what the consequence of the behavior is, 4) tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something or if it involves the removal of something, 50 tell us how you think this behavior occurred, and finally, 6) tell us to the antecedent is.

Please list the ABC's of the target behavior in the clip before the superstitious behavior occurred:

A=
B=
C=

Now discuss the behavior in terms of the ABCs once the superstitions behavior began.

We have discussed schedules of reinforcement.

Now we would like you to do is to find a video clip off the internet illustrating schedules of reinforcement (other than continuous reinforcement)

For this clip we would like you to 1) briefly describe/summarize the clip. 2) tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates the what is being reinforced with a schedule of reinforcement (please note what time it occurs in the video), 3) tell us what the consequence of the behavior is, 4) tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something undesirable or if it involves the removal of something desirable, and finally, 5) what is the schedule of reinforcement being demonstrated, 6) tell us to the antecedent is.

Please list the ABC's of the target behavior in the clip:

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive reinforcement, or negative reinforcement. Explain why. What would happen of the schedule of reinforcement changes where it takes twice as long or twice as many responses to get reinforced?

When you are done with both clips, copy and paste the URLs at the bottom so we can go and see the videos you used. Paste the superstitious behavior URL first and then the schedule of reinforcement URL.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Let us know if you have any questions

--Dr. M

RA7 -

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 3.1 (Thorndike) and 3.2 (Pavlov)

After reading section 3.1, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

After reading section 3.2, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

How has reading these sections changed or built on what you originally thought about behavior modification? How so?

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

--Dr. M

Before you begin this assignment, please go to the following site and read a couple of topical blog posts that were done by students last semester at: http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/2012/04/topical-blog-week-14-due-thursday-1.html#comments

Notice that some are quite a bit better than others.

Next what we would like you to do is to find a topic from what we have covered so far in class that you are interested in and search the internet for material on that topic. You might, for example, find people who are doing research on the topic, you might find web pages that discuss the topic, you might find youtube clips that demonstrate something related to the topic, etc. What you find and use is pretty much up to you at this point. But use at least 3 sources (only one video please).

Once you have completed your search and explorations, I would like you to say what your topic is, how exactly it fits into the section we have covered so far, and why you are interested in it. Next, I would like you to take the information you found related to your topic, integrate/synthesize the topic, and then write about the topic. At the end, please include working URLs for the three websites.

By integrating/synthesizing I mean to take what your read/experienced from the internet search (and from chapter 1 if you like) organize the information into the main themes, issues, info, examples, etc. about your topic and then write about the topic in your own words using that information. This is hard for some people to do - many students write what we refer to as "serial abstracts." They are tempted to talk about the websites rather than the topic proper. They will talk all about website #1, start a new paragraph and talk all about web site #2, start a new paragraph and talk all about web site #3, and then write some kind of conclusion. Serial means one after the other...This what you DON'T want to do!

At first it is a real challenge to get out of the habit of writing "serial abstracts," but I assure you once you get the hang of it it is much easier to write using the integration method. And besides this is the way researchers and scientists write their technical reports and findings - many of you will have to be able to do this for other classes and for jobs that you may eventually be hired for so now is a good time to learn this skill.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Note: we have relaxed the grading scale since this is the first time you have done one of these assignments. Next week we will resume the normal grading scale.

Let us know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 3.3 (Classical Conditioning) and 3.4 (Watson)

After reading section 3.3, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

After reading section 3.4, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

How has reading these sections changed or built on what you originally thought about behavior modification? How so?

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

--Dr. M

What we would like you to do is to find a topic from what we have covered so far in class that you are interested in and search the internet for material on that topic. You might, for example, find people who are doing research on the topic, you might find web pages that discuss the topic, you might find youtube clips that demonstrate something related to the topic, etc. What you find and use is pretty much up to you at this point. But use at least 3 sources (only one video please).

Once you have completed your search and explorations, I would like you to say what your topic is, how exactly it fits into the section we have covered so far, and why you are interested in it. Next, I would like you to take the information you found related to your topic, integrate/synthesize the topic, and then write about the topic. At the end, please include working URLs for the three websites.

By integrating/synthesizing I mean to take what your read/experienced from the internet search (and from chapter 1 if you like) organize the information into the main themes, issues, info, examples, etc. about your topic and then write about the topic in your own words using that information. This is hard for some people to do - many students write what we refer to as "serial abstracts." They are tempted to talk about the websites rather than the topic proper. They will talk all about website #1, start a new paragraph and talk all about web site #2, start a new paragraph and talk all about web site #3, and then write some kind of conclusion. Serial means one after the other...This what you DON'T want to do!

At first it is a real challenge to get out of the habit of writing "serial abstracts," but I assure you once you get the hang of it it is much easier to write using the integration method. And besides this is the way researchers and scientists write their technical reports and findings - many of you will have to be able to do this for other classes and for jobs that you may eventually be hired for so now is a good time to learn this skill.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Let us know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 3.5 (Skinner)

After reading section 3.5, please respond to the following questions.

What are three things you will remember from what you read in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you really liked that was in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the chapter? Why? What were some ideas that came to mind when you were reading the section?

Next, compare and contrast the four historical figures you have read about (Thorndike, Pavlov, Watson and Skinner).

Of the four historical figures you read about which do you like the best and why? Which do you think have made the most important contribution(s). Why? Which would you like to find out more information about? Why?

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Let us know if you have any questions,

--Dr. M

Please choose an individual who you think has made a contribution to Behaviorism, Behavior Modification, Conditioning & Learning (or someone you have read about in the chapters) and find at least three quality sources of information on the internet and write about that person. Who you write about, how you write about them, etc. is up to you, however your post should be informative to the first time reader and well synthesized. For example, suppose you when home for spring break and someone in your family asks you about who you have been learning about in your class, they are not going to know the terms and terminology so you need to use the terms but use them in a way that individual can understand.

Then of course at the end, please include working URLs for the three websites, and make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Let us know if you have any questions,

--Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 4.1 (Need for Self-Directed Behavior) and 4.2 (Self Directed behavior Steps)

After reading section 4.1, please respond to the following questions.

What are three things you will remember from what you read in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you really liked that was in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the chapter? Why? What were some ideas that came to mind when you were reading the section?

After reading section 4.2, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

How has reading these sections changed or built on what you have been thinking about behavior modification? How so?

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Let us know if you have any questions,

--Dr. M

Think of a behavior you would like to reduce and list out the steps (based on section 4.2) you would take to go about changing it.

Let us know if you have any question,

--Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 4.3 (Importance of Goals) and 5.1 (Measuring Behavior)

After reading section 4.3, please respond to the following questions.

What are three things you will remember from what you read in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you really liked that was in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the chapter? Why? What were some ideas that came to mind when you were reading the section?

What are some behavioral goals you have?

After reading section 5.1, please respond to the following questions.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the section? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the section? Why? What are three things you will remember from what you read in the section? Why?

Considering a behavior you might want to change (you can use the one you listed for last Thursday's assignment) how might you go about measuring that behavior?

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Let us know if you have any questions,

--Dr. M

Building on the assignment from last Thursday. If you listed a behavior that you are trying to reduce how might you use differential reinforcement to avoid having to punish that behavior?

Based on what we covered in class on Tuesday, please revise your behavior (think differential reinforcement rather than punishment) and the steps used to modify that behavior so you can use reinforcement. Make sure you have a reasonable goal, a specific target behavior, and a realistic way to record and graph you data. Make sure that your reinforcers will be effective.

We would like you to begin collecting baseline data beginning on Thursday so you can report it next Thursday. Continue recording the behavior until you are notified to do else wise.

Please just write a brief entry on what your behavior is, how you are going to record that data for the behaviors and maybe what your x and y axis measurements are going to be for your graph.

--Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 5.2 (Rule Governed Behavior)

After reading section 5.2, please respond to the following questions.

What are three things you will remember from what you read in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you really liked that was in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the chapter? Why? What were some ideas that came to mind when you were reading the section?

What are some rules governing your behaviors? What are some rules governing the behavior you are planning to change?

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Last Monday you were asked to state a behavior you might change and how you would go about measure that behavior. Please start collecting baseline data on that behavior (recall that baseline is the data collected before the behavioral intervention).

If for some reason you want to change the behavior to some other behavior you can do so.

Let us know if you have any questions,

--Dr. M

Please make a graph of your baseline behavior and 1) Bring it to class Thursday, or drop it off in my psych office mail box, or email it to me. Whichever is easiest for you. For the post discuss what your target behavior is, how you are going about recording it (did you have to make any changes in the way you were recording your behavior since baseline etc.). What is your unit of measurement and what is the units of time you have chosen? You will begin your intervention this week. What is your reinforcer or punisher? Why did you choose this? What reinforcement schedule are you using? Why did you choose this? What are the antecedents that may be problematic in changing your behavior? What are some antecedents that may be helpful in changing your behavior?

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 5.3 (Functional Analysis of Behavior)

After reading section 5.3, please respond to the following questions.

What are three things you will remember from what you read in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you really liked that was in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the chapter? Why? What were some ideas that came to mind when you were reading the section?

Conduct a functional analysis of the behavior you are trying to change.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Please graph your baseline behavior that you collected last week and bring your graph to class. It can be done with a program such as Excel or by hand it is up to you.

You should also have a behavioral program in place (the steps you provided previously). Please implement that program (i.e., start reinforcing the behavior) and continue to collect data.

Please fill out the boxes in the readings you may be quizzed on them in class.

Let us know if you have any questions,

--Dr. M

What I would like you to do is to find a topic from what we have covered so far in class that you are interested in and search the internet for material on that topic. You might, for example, find people who are doing research on the topic, you might find web pages that discuss the topic, you might find youtube clips that demonstrate something related to the topic, etc. What you find and use is pretty much up to you at this point. But use at least 3 sources.

Once you have completed your search and explorations, I would like you to say what your topic is, how exactly it fits into the chapter, and why you are interested in it. Next, I would like you to take the information you found related to your topic, integrate/synthesize it, and then write about it. At the end, please include working URLs for the three websites.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Behavioral Project: elaborate

Let us know if you have any questions,

 --Dr. M

Please go to the following blog page:

http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/abcs.html

Please read sections 5.4 (Changing the Antecedants)

After reading section 5.4, please respond to the following questions.

What are three things you will remember from what you read in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you really liked that was in the chapter? Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the chapter? Why? What were some ideas that came to mind when you were reading the section?

How might you change some of the antecedents of the behavior you are trying to change?

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Please graph your behavioral data that you collected last week. You should have been reinforcing the behavior last (or punishing if that is the case). Continue to reinforce the behavior through this week and bring your graph to class. It can be done with a program such as Excel or by hand it is up to you.  

NOTE: the graph should include both the base line data (no reinforcement) and the data collected during reinforcement. Just draw a cut off line on the graph to indicate when the behavioral intervention (reinforcement) began.

Here is a random sample graph I found on the Internet - yours doesn't have to look exactly like this - it is just an example.

[insert graph]

Let us know if you have any questions,

--Dr. M

What we would like you to do is to continue applying what we are learning in class to real world matters. Some might ask, "What good is learning psychology if we can't apply it to real world matters?" So that is what we are going to do with this week's topical blog assignment.

What we would like you to do is to either go to NPR (http://www.npr.org/ ), the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ ) there are some good news source links at the bottom of the following page (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ listed in their news sources) and read, watch, or listen to something that is interesting to you and relates to reinforcement.

For your news I would like you to 1) briefly describe/summarize your piece, 2) tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates reinforcement, 3) tell us what the consequence of the behavior is, 4) tell us how, that consequence will increase the frequency of the behavior, 5) tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something desirable or if it involves the removal of something undesirable, finally 6) tell us to the antecedent is.

Please then list the ABC's of the behavior

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive reinforcement, or negative reinforcement. Explain why.

Tell us if it involves extinction, establishing operations, use as many terms from the chapters we have already covered as you can.

NOW what we would like you to do is to either go to a different news source, NPR (http://www.npr.org/ ), the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ ) there are some good news source links at the bottom of the following page (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ listed in their news sources) and read, watch, or listen to something that is interesting to you and relates to punishment.

For your news I would like you to 1) briefly describe/summarize your piece, 2) tell us what behavior (target behavior) you are using that illustrates punishment, 3) tell us what the consequence of the behavior is, 4) tell us how, that consequence will decrease the frequency of the behavior, 5) tell us if the consequence involves the addition of something undesirable or if it involves the removal of something desirable, finally 6) tell us to the antecedent is.

Please then list the ABC's of the behavior

A=
B=
C=

Now state if this is an example of positive punishment, or negative punishment. Explain why.

For originality sake, make sure the news pieces you are not using the same pieces of news the other students before you just used.

When you are done, copy and paste the URLs at the bottom so we can go and see the sources you used.

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.

Let us know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Token Economies.
Please review the following website and read about the steps involved in setting up a token economy using the LRBI Checklist:
http://www.iseesam.com/teachall/text/behavior/LRBIpdfs/Token.pdf

Next read the following link about the Poyer Purple Paw tokens and respond to the questions listed at that link. http://www.psychologicalscience.com/bmod/2011/10/poyner-purple-paw-tokens.html

You can post your response either here or on the link above.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

--Dr. M

Token economy.

Please find an example of a token economy on the internet. Briefly discuss/summarize the token economy you read about and discuss in depth the site based on the readings from this week and from what he have learned so far in class.

List the url.

Please be sure to use as many behavioral terms as you can.

Let us know if you have any questions,

--Dr. M

The final is worth 30 points.

For the final assignment I would like you to do an extensive write up of your behavioral change project. Use this as an opportunity to show case the terms and concepts you have learned in the class this semester.

You will be required to turn in a copy of your data graph. You can email it or drop off a hard copy in the psych office. The graph should be in good order as we covered in class. Be sure include the results evidenced in your graph in your write up.

Please make sure to use as much behavioral terminology as possible.

Make a list of the terms you used at the bottom of your post.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Take care,

Dr. M

The final is worth 30 points.

For the final assignment I would like you to do an extensive write up of your behavioral change project. Use this as an opportunity to show case the terms and concepts you have learned in the class this semester.

You will be required to turn in a copy of your data graph. You can email it or drop off a hard copy in the psych office. The graph should be in good order as we covered in class. Be sure include the results evidenced in your graph in your write up.

Please make sure to use as much behavioral terminology as possible.

Make a list of the terms you used at the bottom of your post.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Take care,

Dr. M