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. | |
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. | |
3 | In the next trial, the behavior technician shuffles the pictures around. | |
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. |
[CHILD HUMMING] One.
[CHILD HUMS]
Nice job.
Um.
You ready?
[CHILD HUMMING]
Yeah.
[CONTINUES HUMMING]
Three.
[CHILD HUMMING]
Nice! You're doing so good. Hey, thanks for being patient.
[CHILD HUMMING]
Jelly. Ooh, I got some jelly over here, too.
[CONTINUES HUMMING]
Gross.
[CHILD CHATTERING]
You ready?
[CHILD HUMMING]
Come on.
[CONTINUES HUMMING]
Four.
[CHILD HUMMING]
Nice job.
[CHILD HUMS]
Jelly. Hey, thanks. You are on a roll, girl. Just one more, and we will be done with these.
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:
All right. Give me yellow and white.
Yellow, white.
Way to go, bud.
Nice job.
[INAUDIBLE]
I hear you. OK. You ready? Hands in your lap. Thanks. Give me orange and yellow. Orange, yellow.
Great work. [INTERPOSING VOICES] Up high. Woo. Ready? Give me blue and black.
Blue.
Yeah.
Way to go.
Blue and black. My correct pile. Listen. Give me yellow and white.
Yellow.
Yeah, see? Yellow and white.
A yellow and white.
It is yellow and white.
Nice job, bud.
Give me yellow and white.
Yellow, white.
Try again. This is yellow and black.
Yellow, black.
Hands in your lap, please. Give me yellow and white.
Yellow and white.
Awesome!
Nice job.