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Conditional Discrimination Training

Author: Capella Partnered with CARD

what's covered
This lesson will explore the conditional discrimination training by defining and discussing the following:
  1. Conditional Discrimination Training Overview
  2. Conditional Discrimination Guidelines

1. Conditional Discrimination Training Overview

Unlike simultaneous and successive discrimination training, conditional discrimination training does not use mass trials to introduce skills to patients.

Responses are instead targeted randomly, mixed in with other responses within a specific set of stimuli all at once. The aim here is to teach the patient to discriminate the salient details of the stimulus/response that make it different from other responses.

Conditional discrimination training, also called match to sample, is a type of training in which the reinforcement for a certain stimulus depends on the presence of other stimuli or other SDs.

A set of stimuli is presented to the patient during every trial. The target response for each trial changes depending on the specific SD presented and is conditional depending on the SD presented.

In conditional discrimination training, all of the targets are on acquisition at the same time. Each trial targets a different response according to the SD presented.

EXAMPLE

Step Description Example
1 Consider a scenario where the three stimuli – car, book, and shoe – were presented randomly mixed together. Car, Shoe, Book
2 The patient is instructed to “Touch book.” Now, the book is the targeted response, and by touching the picture of the book, the patient receives reinforcement. Touch Book
3 In the next trial, the behavior technician shuffles the pictures around. Shuffle pictures
4 The patient is then instructed to “Touch shoe.” In this trial, the target response is no longer to touch the picture of the book; it is to touch the picture of the shoe. Touching the shoe results in the patient receiving reinforcement. Touch Shoe

big idea
The target responses shift and the correct response in each trial is conditional and depends upon the specific SD that is presented.

Video Transcript
term to know

Conditional Discrimination Training
The reinforcement for a certain stimulus depends upon the presence of other stimuli or other SDs; also called Match To Sample

2. Conditional Discrimination Guidelines

The guidelines for conditional discrimination training are slightly different from those for simultaneous and successive discrimination training.

The guidelines for conditional discrimination training are as follows:

  • There is no mass trial to introduce new skills; targets are not introduced one at a time. The purpose is to immediately teach the patient to discriminate between target stimuli and other stimuli.
  • Each trial presents a different targeted SD and response.
  • Multiple responses with the stimulus set are targeted simultaneously, instead of one response being mass trialed and introduced in isolation.
  • Every trial should contain at least three different stimuli, which provides the patient the opportunity to discriminate that response from the other two.
  • Each targeted response should occur in random order. There should be no predictable pattern to the order of SDs being delivered, and avoid repeating SDs over multiple trials.
  • There are an equal number of SDs presented for each of the targeted responses in the set.
  • Ensure random placement of the stimuli during every trial. Stimuli are not placed in same location to ensure trials are truly random and the patient must discriminate their response according to the SD.
  • Procedures will be individualized according to the needs of the patient. The BCBA will give specific instructions regarding how these procedures will be implemented and any variations that may occur, such as
    • the number of stimuli presented during each trial
    • prompting and prompt fading strategies
    • mastery criteria for each target

Video Transcript

summary
In this lesson, you explored an overview of conditional discrimination training, a type of training in which the reinforcement for a certain stimulus depends on the presence of other stimuli or other SDs. Remember, unlike simultaneous and successive discrimination training, conditional discrimination training does not use mass trials to introduce skills to patients. Instead, responses are targeted randomly, to teach the patient to discriminate the salient details of the stimulus/response that make it different from other responses. You also learned about the conditional discrimination guidelines to follow when implementing this type of training, including the use of at least three different stimuli, an equal number of SDs presented for each of the targeted responses in the set, and random placement of the stimuli during every trial.

Terms to Know
Conditional Discrimination Training

The reinforcement for a certain stimulus depends upon the presence of other stimuli or other S^Ds; also called Match To Sample