Abstract
Members (behaviors) of a response class are equivalent in that they produce the same functional reinforcer. Oftentimes, some members of a response class occur at higher rates than others. This can be problematic when the members that occur at high rates are socially inappropriate (e.g., self-injury, aggression, or disruption). The participant in this study was a 16-year-old female diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who demonstrated aggression, one-word mands, and mands with autoclitic frames. In a series of contingency reversals, we placed 2 behaviors on extinction (e.g., aggression and one-word mands), which resulted in extinction-induced variability. Capitalizing on extinction-induced variability, we reinforced a different behavior (e.g., mands with autoclitic frames). The results confirmed that (a) the rate of responding for each topography was a function of extinction-induced response variability and differential reinforcement and (b) all response topographies belonged to the same response class. These results provide empirical support for the use of extinction-induced variability to differentially increase the rate of socially appropriate behaviors while decreasing socially inappropriate behaviors that belong to the same response class.
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Cengher, M., Ramazon, N.H. & Strohmeier, C.W. Using Extinction to Increase Behavior: Capitalizing on Extinction-Induced Response Variability to Establish Mands With Autoclitic Frames. Analysis Verbal Behav 36, 102–114 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40616-019-00118-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40616-019-00118-w