Lesson 8 - ABC Model

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Presentation of Theoretical Construct

Reading: Chapter 6
  
 

Lecture Information: Skinner's Model for learning

  • Antecedent – Behavior – Consequences

  • Antecedents are everything in a student's environment that might be cuing the behavior.

  • Skinner is famous for saying that "we are all just products or our environment."

  • In classroom management, an excellent place to start is the environment.

  • Boy/girl/boy/girl seating charts in middle school

  • Semi-permanent groupings at all levels.

  • Is the ADHD child sitting next to the window?

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  • Behavior is the action that is spurred on/caused by the environmental cues.

  • Consequences are what happens directly after the action.

  • Extremely important to Skinner's theory - the focal point of the theory

  • For Skinner only two consequences were possible

  • Paid (Actor perceives a reward)

  • Penalized (Actor perceives a punishment)

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    • Antecedent:
    By way of example, let's suppose that you are in a supermarket with your 4 year old son named Sammy.  You are in a bit of a hurry.  You have Sammy in the cart facing you and you make the fatal error of going down the candy aisle.  Sammy's environmental cues now have taken a rather fortuitous turn.  There are brightly colored wrappers of every conceivable shade just inches from his fingertips.  When touched, the wrapper makes a crinkling sound that is almost equivalent to electricity.  The supermarket is fairly busy now and you have to go to one side of the aisle in order not to run into oncoming traffic.  Sammy sees a huge reservoir of Nestlé's Crunch chocolate bars now almost touching his left elbow.

    Behavior:
    With a wide smile, Sammy reaches for the candy at light speed.  He has the wrapper, candy and fingers all in his mouth before you can turn your head. 

    Consequences:
    "Oh Crap," you say reaching into Sammy's pie hole to retrieve the ill-gotten booty.  "No!  You'll ruin your appetite with junk!  Then you won't be hungry at dinner time for healthy food."  Sammy's lower lip starts to protrude.  His brow becomes furrowed.  You say, "Now don't start that..."  But of course it is too late the tantrum is beginning to bloom, leg kicks, screaming, tries to get out of the cart, etc.  People are walking by staring.  You have really only one of two choices, hold your ground or cave in. 

    If you hold your ground (no candy), what will likely happen next time in the store's candy aisle? 

    If you cave in (give candy), what will likely happen the next time in the store's candy aisle?

     


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