CEU Event

Eb Blakely, Ph.D., BCBA-DAnsley Hodges, M.S., BCBA

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

Auditory stimuli – crying, screamingResponse produced stimuli – pressure on teeth, pressure on hands/feet

Early Non-Human ResearchShock “elicited” fightingSubjects: RatsProcedure: Rats exposed to shockMeasure: # of episodes of fightingAggression was called “reflexive”Results: Most shocks evoked fighting

Early Non-Human ResearchShock “elicited” biting of inanimate objectsSubjects: RatsProcedure: Rats exposed to shockMeasure: # of episodes of biting of metal, wood,

or rubber targets

Early Non-Human ResearchAggression evoked by schedules of reinfSubjects: PigeonsProcedure: Ss exposed to FR 50Measure: # attacks to target pigeonResults: Most attacks occurred during PRP

Early Non-Human ResearchWhat kind of target is the best?Subjects: PigeonsProcedure: Ss exposed to FR 80-120Measure: # attacks to target (Mirror, Live

protected, Stuffed)

Early Non-Human ResearchBiting as a function of FR sizeSubjects: Squirrel monkeysProcedure: Ss exposed to FR schedules (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

Early Non-Human ResearchBiting evoked by schedules of reinforcement

Does Effort Matter?

Subjects: Pigeons Procedure: Ss exposed to

FR and yoked schedules of free food (MT = matched time)

Measure: # attacks

Early Non-Human ResearchOpportunity to Aggress: Is it a reinforcer?Subjects: Squirrel monkeysProcedure: Chain pulls rubber ball to biteResults: Presentation of ball reinforced/maintained

chain pulls

Early Non-Human ResearchOpportunity to Aggress: Is it a reinforcer?

Early Non-Human ResearchOpportunity to Aggress: Is it a reinforcer?Subjects: PigeonsProcedure: 1) FI schedule for food and 2) 2nd key pecks access to a target pigeon

Recent Non-Human ResearchOpportunity to Aggress: Is it a reinforcer?Subjects: MiceProcedure: Intruder mouse presented after completion

of FR 8 vs ExtResults: Concurrent food schedule not needed

SummaryAversive stimuli will evoke aggression

Shock Reinforcement offset Work requirements Heat Strikes to body

The opportunity to aggress will function as a reinforcer for behavior Most likely occurs when aversive stimuli are present May 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 away Pressure 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 behavioral assessment and Tx

Implications

Standard 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 FAHigher rates of problem behavior when caregiver

reacted “upset” than when caregiver provided a neutral reprimand, or during no attention conditions

Seeks out other kids crying

Case #2 FAThrowing items/tipping chairs increased when mom

reacted “frustrated” or “aggravated” compared to neutral reprimands.

Case Study #3

Descriptive assessment information Engages in SIB (arm scratching, and picking) during free

time that produces blood Looks for bruising after aggression Aggression is more likely in presence of aversive stimuli

(e.g., denied access to items/activities, work requirements) Property destruction when denied access – and would

carefully look at the item Would mand for item to break!

Case Study #3

Blood Water Dora Book Drawing Nuts Bandaid0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Preference Assessment Over 4 Exposures

Ran

k

Case Study #3

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 70

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Sessions

Fre

qu

ency

of

sele

ctin

g s

qu

are

= = Blood = Blood = Blood

Reinforcer Assessment: Conc FR 1 Ext

Case Study #3

Tx elements Replacement skill: Select alternatives when denied access Waiting Fade in work requirements Mand for delay of reinforcer offset

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

Punishment – loss of items/activities/contingent exercise

Extensions

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

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

other concomitant stimuli

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

Sample Program

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

away from Fred when she 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

The End

Implications (continued)

Structured Interview Questions Does the person seek out items to break? Does the person seek out blood or injury? After aggression, does the person attempt to see the injuries of the

victim? Does the behavior occur when denied access to items/activities, even

though they have not been given after the behavior? Does the person aggress after consuming a reinforcer for which he/she

had to work hard? Does the person seem to enjoy seeing others upset? Does the person tend to throw objects when denied access to

items/activities?

Return

Aggression as a Built-in Reinforcer

Betta Splendens

Aggression as a Built-in Reinforcer

Round 1