CEU Event

Eb Blakely, Ph.D., BCBA-D

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Signs of Damage: Skinner From "Contingencies of Reinforcement"

Page 51: "The principle also holds for aggressive behavior. At a time when men were often plundered and killed, by animals and other men, it was important that any behavior which harmed or frightened predators should be quickly learned and long sustained. Those who were most strongly reinforced by evidences of damage to others should have been most likely to survive."

Page 129: "A person who is at the moment aggressive is one who, among other characteristics, shows a heightened probability of behaving verbally or nonverbally in such a way that someone is damaged..."

Page 195: "Azrin, for example, has studied the stereotyped, mutually aggressive behavior evoked when two organisms receive brief electric shocks. But he and his associates have also demonstrated that the opportunity to engage in such behavior functions as a reinforcer and, as such, may be used to shape an indefinite number of "aggressive" operants of arbitrary topographies. Evidence of damage to others may be reinforcing for phylogenic reasons because it is associated with competitive survival. Competition in the current environment may make it reinforcing for ontogenic reasons."

Signs of Damage: StimuliWhat stimuli are involved?Visual stimuli – blood, bruising, scratches, “upset” expressions, damage to property

Auditory stimuli – crying, screamingResponse-produced stimuli involving body parts in attack – pressure on teeth, pressure on hands/feet

Shock “elicited” fightingSubjects: Pairs of ratsProcedure: Rats exposed to shockMeasure: # of episodes of fightingAggression was called “reflexive”Results: Most shocks evoked fighting

Shock “elicited” biting of objectsSubjects: RatsProcedure: Rats exposed to shockMeasure: # of episodes of biting of metal, wood, or rubber targets

Results

Aggression Evoked by Reinf SchedulesSubjects: PigeonsProcedure: Ss exposed to FR 50Measure: # attacks to target pigeonResults: Most attacks occurred during PRP

Results

What Kind of Target?Subjects: PigeonsProcedure: Ss exposed to FR 80-120Measure: # attacks to target (Mirror, Live- protected, Stuffed)

Biting is a Function of FR Size

Subjects: Squirrel monkeysProcedure: Ss exposed to FR schedules of food delivery (FR 50-200)

Measure: # bites of a rubber hoseResults: 1) Most biting occurred in PRP as a function of ratio size 2) also occurred in Ext

Results of FR Size

Results in Ext

Effort: FR vs MT

Subjects: Pigeons Procedure: Ss exposed to FR and

yoked schedules of free food (MT = matched time)

Measure: # attacks

Results

Opp to Aggress: A Reinforcer?Subjects: Squirrel monkeysProcedure: Chain pulls rubber ball to biteResults: Presentation of ball reinforced/maintained chain pulls

Results: Shock vs No Shock

Results: Reversal of Contingency

Opp to Aggress: A Reinforcer?Subjects: PigeonsProcedure: 1) FI schedule for food and 2) 2nd key pecks access to a target pigeon

Results:# key pecks to produce

target

Opp to Aggress: A reinforcer?

Subjects: Mice (handle with care!)Note: Mice were bred for aggression

Procedure: Intruder mouse presented after completion of FR 8 vs Ext

Results: The opportunity to aggress functioned as a form of reinforcement

Results

SummaryAversive stimuli will evoke aggression

ShockReinforcement offsetWork requirementsHeatStrikes to body

The opportunity to aggress will function as a reinforcer for behaviorOccurs when aversive stimuli are present, including

schedules of positive reinforcementMay occur in absence of such stimuli in some

members of species

ConclusionsAggression evoked by aversive stimuli is not a respondent

If operant, what reinforces it?Signs of damage (cf Skinner): cowering, crying, blood,

running awayPressure on body part used to attack (e.g., teeth, fists)

How do we talk about this?Signs of damage and/or related stimuli may be naturally

reinforcing in some species, or some members of a species

EO s may be aversive events and schedules of reinforcement

We should address this in assessment and Tx

ImplicationsStandard Functional Analyses

Unclear results But naturalistic observations suggested that attention was a factor, but

attention was given in loud, emotionally-charged bouts

David M. Richman and Louis P. Hagopian

Implications Idiosyncratic Conditions in Functional Analysis

Exaggerated Attention: “dramatic reaction to Tim’s destructive behaviors that included a high level of voice intonation, verbal phrases such as “I can’t believe that you just did that,” and physical signs of displeasure such as waving his/her hands frantically. “

Functional Analyses Results

Case #1 FAThrowing items/tipping chairs increased when mom reacted “frustrated” or “aggravated” compared to neutral reprimands.

We put a recording of “upset” mom on iPad for him to access

Functional Analyses Results

1 2 3 40

5

10

15

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25

AttentionExaggerated Att

Session

# P

rob

lem

Beh

avio

rsTarget behavior: Throwing & tipping chairs

Functional Analyses Results

Case #2 FAHigher rates of problem behavior when caregiver reacted “upset” than when caregiver provided a neutral reprimand, or during no attention conditions

He also seeks out other kids cryingHe will grab lizards and tear in half

Case Study #3

Descriptive assessment informationEngages in SIB (arm scratching, and picking) during free time that produces blood

Aggression is more likely in presence of aversive stimuli (e.g., denied access to items/activities, work requirements)Looks for bruising after aggression

Property destruction when denied access – and would carefully look at the broken itemWill mand for item to break!

Preference Assessment

Blood Water Dora Book Drawing Nuts Bandaid0

1

2

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5

6

MSWO Over 4 Exposures

Ran

k

Reinforcer Assessment

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 70

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10

Sessions

Fre

qu

en

cy

of

se

lec

tin

g s

qu

are = = Blood = Blood = Blood

Conc FR 1 (sight of finger w/blood) Ext (sight of finger)

Program Design

Tx elementsReplacement skill: Select alternatives when denied accessWaitingFade in work requirementsMand for delay of reinforcer offset

Calendar of when events will occurExtinction? Can signs of damage be withheld?Wear long sleeves during sessions

Punishment – loss of items/activities/contingent exercise

Program Design

Oct-09 Nov-09Dec-09 Jan-10 Feb-10 Mar-10 Apr-10May-10Jun-10 Jul-10 Aug-10Sep-10 Oct-10 Nov-10Dec-100

2

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Ave

rag

e %

of

Ses

sio

n E

ng

aged

in

Tan

tru

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Contingent Exercise

Implications for Tx and AssessmentBehavior Assessment

Preference assessments Standard preference assessments with signs of damage stimuli Preference assessments in presence of aversive stimuli

Interviews should address this Functional analyses with signs of damage

Cowering targets “Angry” caregivers Contingent property destruction Objects to hit/bite (safely!)

Tx procedures Antecedent manipulations Replacement skills Concurrent schedules of reinforcement for appropriate behavior Reduction procedures

Go

Go

Punishment?

Go

Go

Sample Program

Antecedent Manipulations Remove target - When sister hits Fred, separate Remove target during work requirements - Keep sister

away from Fred when he is engaged in chores Frequent physical games Have potential targets do pairing Wear long sleeves during sessions?

Acquisition Skills Mands for physical activity Select alternatives when denied access Be willing to use large magnitude reinforcers

Waiting programs Slowly increase wait time Especially consider waiting in divided attention situations

Function: Signs of Damage

Sample Program

Acquisition Skills (continued) Task completion Slowly increase response requirements Use large magnitude reinforcers Consider VR instead of FR schedules

Reduction Procedures Removal of targets Extinction: Withhold damage if possible Punishment? Side effects! Punishment maybe an EO for further signs of

damage maintained aggression

Function: Signs of Damage

Extensions

Unexplained phenomena“Extinction-induced” aggression – is it “reflexive?”Extinction as EO for signs of damage and other concomitant stimuli

Side effects of punishment: aggression!Punishment stimuli as EO for signs of damage and other concomitant stimuli

Aggression as a Built-in Reinforcer

Betta Splendens

Aggression as a Built-in Reinforcer

Round 1

The End