topic 17/18 - applying punishment

• what is the difference between operant extinction and negative punishment?


  Operant extinction: THE reinforcer that is supporting the behaviour is no longer given

  Negative punishment: A reinforcer is withheld or removed contingent on the behaviour; two subtypes: time out and response cost
• define what time out from positive reinforcement is

  loss of access to positive reinforcers following an undesirable behaviour
• What are the 3 different types of time out

  • non-exclusionary: person remains in the same room; contingent observation
  • exculsionary: person is move to a different part of the room
  • isolation: person is completely removed form the environment where the reinfrocers are available; called solitary confinement/disciplinary segregation
• What are some issues of time-out

  • decrease undesirable behaviours but desirable behaviours should be encouraged
  • does not work with negative or automatic reinforcement
  • ensure a person's safety
  • contingency delay/ release contingency: time out does not end unless the behaviour ends (prevents time out serving as an escape as negative reinforcement)
  • prevent escape from time out
• define response cost


  removal of a reinforcer following an undesirable behaviour

  • severity of the punishment does not necessarily produce a greater effect
• What are some issues with response cost

  • consider the reinforcer: what will be withdrawn, how much, and for how long
  • when to withdraw the reinforcer: immediately or after a delay
  • practical issues
  • person may avoid the situation or become aggressive
  • determine whether response cost is acceptable for use with vulnerable populations or at a given institution
• what is an aversive activity?

  • involves low-probability behavior that the person does not enjoy doing
  • acts as a punisher if it follows a behaviour and decreases it
• Kind of aversive activity: overcorrection


  a person has to perform effortful, low probability behaviours contingent on the problem behaviour

  • positive practice: after a problem behaviour a person must correctly perform an opposite or appropriate behaviour repeatedly
  • negative practice: after a problem behaviour, person must perform the undesirable behaviour repeatedly
  • restitution: person must correct the effects of the problem behaviour and restore the environment
• Kind of aversive activity: contingent exercise


  a person must perform exercise, usually not related to the problem behaviour

  • guided compliance: person is physically guided to complete a requested behaviour
• Kind of aversive activity: physical restraint 


  the part of the person's body that performed the behavior is immobilized

  • response blocking: behaviour analyst physically prevents the person from carrying out or completing the problem behaviour
  • response interruption/redirection: after response is blocked, person is prompted to engage ina competing response using a least-to-most prompting hierarchy; combines response blocking and differential reinforcement
• Kinds of aversive stimulation: reprimands


  harsh verbal criticism of behaviour
• Kinds of aversive stimulation: physical aversive stimuli


  cause physical pain, discomfort, or unpleasant sensations
• what are the 6 positive punishment issues?

  • use functional interventions first (1. antecedent interventions/positive reinforcement/differential reinforcement 2. negative reinforcement 3. extinction 4. negative punishment 5. positive punishment: aversive stimuli should be used only as a last resort)
  • apply differential reinforcement with punishment
  • conduct a functional assessment to determine the function of the problem behaviour
  • select the most effective punisher
  • used evidence-based approach in making treatment decisions
  • consider ethical implications of the use of punishment