Decoding Behavior: Cues, Prompts, and Chains

A: So, let's kick things off by really understanding the basics. What exactly is 'stimulus control'? It sounds pretty fundamental to everything we'll talk about.

B: It really is! In simple terms, stimulus control is how strong the link is between a specific cue in the environment—what we call an antecedent stimulus—and a particular behavior. A good example might be when you ask a child their name, and they consistently respond with 'Lauren.' That 'What's your name?' is a powerful controller of the 'Lauren' response.

A: That makes sense. It's like the environment is giving a signal, and we respond to it. And to figure that out, we use something called an ABC assessment, right?

B: Exactly. ABC stands for Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence. It's a quick way to analyze why a behavior is happening. The antecedent is what happens *before* the behavior. The behavior is the specific action itself. And the consequence is what happens *immediately after* that behavior. Like a doorbell ringing – that's your antecedent.

A: Okay, so the doorbell ringing is an antecedent. Is that also a discriminative stimulus, an SD?

B: Perfect segue! Yes, an SD, or discriminative stimulus, is a cue that tells you a certain behavior *will* be reinforced. Think of a 'PUSH' sign on a door. You see the sign, you push, the door opens—that's the reinforcement. The sign is the SD, and pushing is the response.

A: So, then what's the opposite of that? If the sign tells you *not* to do something, or that it won't work?

B: That's an S-delta, or SΔ. It's a signal that tells you reinforcement *isn't* available for a particular behavior. Imagine a broken vending machine with the lights off. You see it's off, so you don't put coins in. The unlit machine is the SΔ, and *not* inserting coins is the response.

A: Got it. So we're learning to discriminate between cues. How does that tie into the difference between stimulus *generalization* and stimulus *discrimination* itself?

B: It's about the range of response. Stimulus discrimination means learning to respond *only* to the specific SD, and not to similar, but irrelevant, cues. You're telling the difference. Stimulus generalization is when a behavior you've learned for one SD also occurs in the presence of *similar* stimuli, even if you weren't specifically trained for them. You're generalizing the response, perhaps too broadly.

A: So, last time we talked about how cues control behavior. Building on that, what about teaching new skills? I'm thinking about 'fading' and 'prompting' specifically. How do those play into it?

B: That's where the seamless part comes in! Fading is really about gradually removing a prompt that's helping someone do something, so they eventually do it on their own. Think about teaching a kid to tie their shoes.

A: Okay, like, at first you're holding their hands, then maybe just pointing, then nothing?

B: Exactly. You're fading out the physical help. And that ties into 'errorless discrimination training'—the goal is for them to make as few mistakes as possible, which keeps frustration down and speeds things up.

A: That makes sense. Less error, more smooth sailing. And prompts... what are the main types of prompts a teacher might use?

B: Well, you've got Verbal, like giving instructions; Gestural, like pointing; Modeling, where you show them how; and Physical Guidance, literally helping them do the action. There are also environmental prompts.

A: Environmental? Like setting up the room in a certain way?

B: Right. Like leaving a child's homework out on their desk so they're more likely to do it. It’s a subtle cue in the surroundings. And then you distinguish between extra-stimulus and within-stimulus prompts.

A: Oh, that sounds a bit technical.

B: Not really. Extra-stimulus is adding something *to* the environment, like pointing to a button. Within-stimulus is changing the actual thing they're looking at. Like if you're teaching 'pen' and 'pencil,' you might initially say 'PEN!' really loud, then fade that emphasis. It's all covered in Martin and Pear (2024), Chapter 12.

A: Got it. So, fading is about prompts disappearing, but how's that different from 'shaping,' which we talked about earlier?

B: Good question! Fading changes the *stimulus* while the *response* stays the same. Shaping changes the *response* itself, building up a new behavior, while the *stimulus* might stay constant. Different goals, but both incredibly useful.

A: Okay, so moving from individual behaviors to stringing them together, let's talk about behavior chaining. It's really about teaching complex routines by linking smaller steps.

B: And what makes it a 'chain,' specifically? Not just a sequence of actions, right?

A: Exactly! Each response in the chain becomes a signal—an SD—for the next response. Like, putting on a coat, each step cues the next. And Martin and Pear, in their Chapter 13, really highlight that 'weakest link' idea. If one step is shaky, the whole chain can break down.

B: So it's not like studying for an exam, which has breaks. This is more continuous, each part immediately leading to the next. What are the main ways we build these chains?