Comparing the effects of static and dynamic signals during multiple schedules
Still and moving signals work equally well for most kids in FCT multiple schedules, so test both and let the data pick.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Campos et al. (2023) tested four children with autism during FCT. They wanted to know if moving or still pictures worked better as signals in a multiple schedule.
Each child got two setups. In one, a colored square stayed on the screen. In the other, the square slowly changed color. The kids could ask for a break only when the signal was present.
What they found
Three children asked for breaks just as fast with the still square as with the moving one. One child only learned the rule when the square changed color. No single signal type won for everyone.
How this fits with other research
Durand et al. (1990) saw the opposite. They taught new labels with time delay. Kids learned only when the prompt flashed or moved. A single still color almost never worked and sometimes erased earlier learning.
Granieri et al. (2020) helps explain the clash. They found autistic children track moving targets poorly on a screen. That group deficit makes still cues safer for most kids, yet Campos shows one child still needed motion.
Pizarro et al. (2021) adds a tip: check if the child can name colors first. Kids who can't may fail any color-based multiple schedule, static or dynamic.
Why it matters
Before you thin FCT, run a five-minute probe with both a still and a moving signal. Count how fast each child masters the discrimination. Pick the cue that wins, not the one you assume will work. Keep both on hand for the next learner.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractThe extent to which multiple schedules are an effective schedule thinning method following functional communication training (FCT) relies on the control the schedule‐correlated stimuli exert over behavior. Thus, the stimuli used to signal the schedule in place (e.g., reinforcement and extinction) in a multiple schedule arrangement require special attention. To date, the majority of the research on multiple schedules has evaluated the use of different arbitrary signals as schedule‐correlated stimuli (e.g., poster boards). These signals are considered static as they lack movement. More recently, some studies have successfully used dynamic signals, which include movement or animation, within multiple schedule arrangements. However, the extent to which one type of signal may result in faster stimulus control over behavior has not been evaluated. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare the use of static and dynamic signals as schedule‐correlated stimuli in multiple schedules used within the context of FCT. Four children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder participated in the study. The results suggest that no differences in discriminated manding were observed for three out of four participants. Only dynamic signals resulted in discriminated manding for one participant.
Behavioral Interventions, 2023 · doi:10.1002/bin.1920