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Successive Discrimination Training

Author: Capella Partnered with CARD

what's covered
This lesson will explore the successive discrimination training by defining and discussing the following:
  1. Successive Discrimination Training Overview
  2. Three Steps for “No Known” Targets
  3. Two Steps for “Known” Targets

1. Successive Discrimination Training Overview

Successive discriminations require the patient to tell the difference between two or more stimuli that are not present at the same time.

IN CONTEXT

Consider the following situation. The behavior technician asks the patient to wave their hand, and the patient waves.

Then, the behavior technician asks them to put their arms up, and they do so.

When the behavior technician presents the first instruction, there is only one instruction present at the time, and there are no other stimuli from which the patient can choose; they merely respond directly to the instruction.

A moment later, when the instruction is different, the patient does something different. But the patient is not choosing in any given moment between putting their arms up and touching their belly; they merely do what is asked in the moment.

Successive discrimination training has no field of stimuli; rather, there is a question, statement, or cue in the environment. In successive discrimination training, SD examples include “Stand up and turn around,” a person waves and the patient waves back, and “What is your name?”

There are three steps and two steps in this training. The reason there are fewer steps is that there are no distracter items within this training.

think about it
What is always the first step in discrimination trainings? The answer is mass trial alone.

Just as with simultaneous discrimination training, there are different procedures when there are “no known” targets and “known” targets. Let’s take a closer look at the first three steps for “no known” targets.

term to know

Successive Discrimination Training
No field of stimuli; rather, there is a question, statement, or cue in the environment

2. Three Steps for “No Known” Targets

The three steps process is used when there are “no known” targets.

This means that the patient does not have any mastered skills or targets within this skill set. This process is only used when introducing programs that have no targets that are mastered or known.

At this time, we are going to introduce two targets at the same time.

hint
In successive discrimination training, there are no distracters, which is why the steps are much shorter. Why? Because we are giving instructions or cues or we are asking questions in the environment.

step by step

Step Description Example
1 MT Target 1 Alone
Target 1 is "What do you read with?"

This will always be the first step in every discrimination training. We must mass trial alone first to teach them what the target is. Remember, there are no distracters in successive discrimination training.
Step 1: MT Target 1 Alone
2 MT Target 2 Alone
Target 2 is "What do you sleep in?"

Now that we have done everything we can with Target 1, let’s bring in Target 2. We mass trial alone first to teach them what the target is.
Step 2: MT Target 2 Alone
3 RR Target 1 vs. Target 2
What is always the last step in discrimination trainings? Random rotations!
Step 3: RR Target 1 vs. Target 2

big idea
Based on these previous examples, Target 1 and Target 2 are considered learned when the patient meets the mastery criteria of two times at 80% or better in random rotation.

Video Transcript

Here is a summary of the three steps:

Successive Discrimination Training
First two targets:
1. MT Target 1 in isolation, 2 x 80%
2. MT Target 2 in isolation, 2 x 80%
3. RR Target 1 and Target 2, 2 x 80%

It’s that easy!

think about it
Remember, what is always the first and last step?

3. Two Steps for “Known” Targets

The two steps process is used when there are “known” targets, meaning that the patient has some mastered targets within the skill set.

It is used to teach all remaining targets in the program.

At this time, we are going to introduce one target. For this example, Target 3 is "What do you eat with?"

step by step

Step Description Example
1 MT Target 3 Alone
Target 3: What do you eat with?

We mass trial alone first to teach them what the target is.
Step 1: MT Target 3 Alone
2 RR Target 3 vs. Previously Mastered Targets
Once Target 3 meets mastery criteria of two times at 80% or better in random rotation, it is considered “mastered” or “learned.”
Step 2: RR Target 3 vs. Previously Mastered Targets

Summary of the two steps:

Successive Discrimination Training
First two targets:
1. MT Target 3 in isolation, 2 x 80-100%
2. RR Target 3 with previously mastered targets, 2 x 80%

summary
In this lesson, you covered a successive discrimination training overview, a training method in which there is no field of stimuli, but rather a question, statement, or cue in the environment. Remember that successive discriminations require the patient to tell the difference between two or more stimuli that are not present at the same time. You learned that just as with simultaneous discrimination training, there are different procedures with successive discrimination training: three steps for “no known” targets, which means that the patient does not have any mastered skills or targets within this skill set, used when introducing programs that have no targets that are mastered or known; and two steps for “known” target, meaning that the patient has some mastered targets within the skill set. It is used to teach all remaining targets in the program.

Terms to Know
Successive Discrimination Training

No field of stimuli; rather, there is a question, statement or cue in the environment