Definitions

1. Stimulus control
2. SD
3. Sdelta
4. Stimulus discrimination
5. Stimulus equivalence class

Application Questions

Answer these questions with respect to the introductory case about Darcy learning to pick up the phone in Martin and Pear:

• What was the target behavior?
• What was the SD that indicated that reinforcement was going to follow for the target behavior?
• What was the Delta that indicated that reinforcement was NOT going to follow for the target behavior?
• Describe how this is an example of stimulus discrimination.
• What aspect of this training increased Darby's motivation to pick up the phone when it rang? How is this an example of motivating operations?
• Was good stimulus control achieved by the end of training? Why or why not?

TEACHING DARCY WHEN TO PICK UP THE PHONE Darcy, the sister of one of the authors, was a child back in the time when there were traditional online telephones, but no cell phones. When Darcy was 3, she began picking up the phone when it was silent and pretended to talk to someone. Darcy's mother devised a plan to teach Darcy to pick up the phone only when it was ringing. The phone was initially placed where Darcy couldn't reach it. Then, as soon as the phone ranga call made by her Grandma for training purposesher mother placed the phone in front of Darcy and said, "The phone's ringing. Now you should answer it." Darcy picked up the phone and talked to Grandma. After a few minutes Grandma said, "Now hang up the phone. I'll talk to you later." When Darcy hung up the phone her mother said, "Now remember, we don't pick up telephones when they are not ringing. We only answer them when they ring." The phone was left where Darcy could reach it. If Darcy picked up the phone when it was not ringing, her mother immediately took it from her and hung it up and repeated the preceding statement. During the next several days, Grandma called several more times, and the above process was repeated. By the end of the week, Darcy reached the goal of picking up the phone only when it was ringing.