Effects of differential reinforcement on the generalization of a replacement mand in three children with severe language delays.
Teach a new mand, then immediately withhold reinforcement for the old grabbing form to make the new word travel across items and places.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three children with severe language delays learned a new spoken mand. The team first taught the new word, then stopped reinforcing the old grabbing or reaching.
They used a multiple-baseline design across new words. Each child got the same two-step plan: reward the new mand, then put the old form on extinction.
What they found
Two children used the new word across toys, food, and places right away. The third child also grew, just not as fast.
The quick switch from reinforcement to extinction made the new mand stick outside the teaching table.
How this fits with other research
McGee et al. (1983) did the same trick with sign language years earlier. Their signs also spread to new adults and rooms, showing the tactic works in any modality.
Gotham et al. (2014) adds a warning: if you later stop reinforcing the new mand, the old grabbing can pop back up. Their data do not clash with E et al.; they just show what happens after the story ends.
Shillingsburg et al. (2020) builds on the idea by shaping longer sentences instead of just first words. All three studies line up: use differential reinforcement plus extinction, then watch communication grow.
Why it matters
You can replace a problem mand in one afternoon and see it travel across snacks, toys, and people. Teach the new word, then right away stop giving items for the old reach or cry. The brief extinction phase is the key move most teams skip.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
We investigated variables that may influence the generalization of a replacement mand in 3 young children with severe language delays. A multiple baseline design consisting of one stimulus class of manding opportunities that we arbitrarily divided into three categories (i.e., food, toys, and events) was used for each child. During baseline probes, all children manded mainly by reaching, grabbing, or leading. We then taught each child a replacement mand using a single member of the stimulus class. Acquisition of the replacement mand occurred under highly restricted conditions in a setting that was completely isolated from the generalization settings. Postacquisition probes revealed almost exclusive use of old manding forms. Subsequently, extinction of the old forms and reinforcement of the replacement mand were introduced in a sequential fashion. Two children manifested a substantial increase, and 1 child displayed a moderate increase in the occurrence of the replacement mand (i.e., generalization occurred). These results suggest that a differential reinforcement procedure can alter the probability of the occurrence of response class members across a variety of stimulus conditions.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 1998 · doi:10.1901/jaba.1998.31-357