Association for Behavior Analysis International

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41st Annual Convention; San Antonio, TX; 2015

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Symposium #67
CE Offered: BACB
Relationships Between Reinforcement Value and Behavioral Stages of Development II
Saturday, May 23, 2015
3:00 PM–4:50 PM
Texas Ballroom Salon E (Grand Hyatt)
Area: DEV/EAB; Domain: Basic Research
Chair: Michael Lamport Commons (Harvard Medical School)
Discussant: Patrice Marie Miller (Salem State University)
CE Instructor: Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D.
Abstract:

This symposium presents a number of applications of a new theory that integrates notions of reinforcing value with a behavioral notion of developmental stage. The first paper replaces Maslow=s Hierarchy of Needs with a conception that shows that both notions of reinforcing value and notions of behavioral developmental stage can explain the same behaviors without appealing to hypothetical, internal constructs. The second paper presents empirical data that confirms in another context that an expert=s developmental stage of understanding predicts how biasing (a measure of value) they perceive a professional situation to be. The third paper discusses the application of the Model of Hierarchical Complexity on the field of medicine, pharmacology, nursing and public health are. The paper gives examples of how standards of care are understood at different behavioral developmental stage. It presents the solution to the problem of standards of care at a Paradigmatic stage 14. The paper proposes a Cross-Paradigmatic stage 15 view of how the problem of changing standards of care can be solved. The fourth paper suggests eight long-term attractors (rather than linear short-terms trends) that lead to flatter organizations. Organizations and the need for management and bureaucracy are discussed from an informational perspective.

Keyword(s): Behavioral Stages, Reinforcement value
 
Replacing Maslow Needs Hierarchy with Behavioral Developmental Stage-Reinforcement Value to Make Sense of Moral Ambition
WILLIAM JOSEPH HARRIGAN (Harvard University)
Abstract: An all-encompassing model of reinforcement value and Behavioral Develop Stage is applied to Maslow’s “needs” hierarchy model. ”Needs” may be understood as primary and secondary reinforcers that change with stage. Primary reinforcers are biologically built-in, such as food, sleep and social stimuli. Secondary reinforcers are learned when paired with a primary reinforcer. For example, money is a powerful reinforcer when paired with objects it can purchase. As one moves up in stage, secondary reinforcers become more complex. Reinforcers may change from simple to more abstract such as adhering to moral principles and searching for the truth. In addition to changes of reinforcers, what contingencies make contact with behavior also change. A contingency is the predictive relationship between two events, such that the occurrence of one event predicts the probable occurrence of another. e.g. a child receives a balloon every time she goes to the dentist. Individuals who understand complex contingencies may be more likely to act on long term benefits. Contingencies may not make contact with behavior in three circumstances. They may not make contact because the consequence a) requires too high a stage to appreciate or b) it is not of interest to the person or more typically, c) when they occur too far away in time, and more short term consequences are perceived as more valued. Individuals who score higher on Maslow’s hierarchy should also show higher stage social perspective taking skill.
 

The Behavioral Development Stage as Shown in Forensic Experts' Perceptions of Expert Bias

SHULING JULIE CHEN (Dare Association, Inc.), Michael Lamport Commons (Harvard Medical School), Patrice Marie Miller (Salem State University), Eva Yujia Li (University of Connecticut), Thomas Gutheil (Harvard Medical School)
Abstract:

How do expert witnesses perceive the possible biases of their fellow expert witnesses? Participants, who were attendees at a workshop at the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law were asked to rate for their biasing potential a number of situations that might affect the behavior of an opposing expert. A Rasch analysis produced a linear scale as to the perceived biasing potential of these different kinds of situations from the most biasing to the least biasing. Working for only one side in both civil and criminal cases had large scaled values and also were the first factor. In interesting contrast, a) an opposing expert also serving as the litigant's treater and b) an opposing expert being viewed as a hired gun (supplying an opinion only for money) were two situations viewed as not very biasing. Order of Hierarchical Complexity also accounted for items from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd factors. The result suggests that the difficulty in understanding the conceptual basis of bias underlies the perception of how biased a behavior or a situation is. The more difficult to understand the questionnaire item, the less biasing its behavior or situation is perceived by participants.

 
The Behavioral Developmental Stage-Reinforcement Value Model: Implications for the Changing Standards of Care
DANIEL GORTZ (University of Lund), Michael Lamport Commons (Harvard Medical School)
Abstract: The standard of care is a legal and professional notion against which doctors and other medical personnel are held liable. The standard of care changes as new scientific findings and technological innovations within medicine, pharmacology, nursing and public health are developed and adopted. This paper consists of three parts. Part 1 describes the problem and gives concrete examples of its occurrence. The second part discusses the application of the Model of Hierarchical Complexity to the field, giving examples of how standards of care are understood at different behavioral developmental stage. It presents the solution to the problem of standards of care at a Paradigmatic stage 14. The solution at this stage is a deliberative, communicative process based around why certain norms should or should not apply in each specific case, by the use of so-called meta-norms. Part 3 proposes a Cross-Paradigmatic stage 15 view of how the problem of changing standards of care can be solved. The proposed solution is to found the legal procedure in each case on well-established behavioral laws. We maintain that such a behavioristic, scientifically based justice would be much more proficient at effecting restorative legal interventions that create desired behaviors.
 
The Societal Attractors Based on Long-Term Contingencies May Produce a Flatter Organization in the 21st Century
SAGUN GIRI (Dare Association, Inc.), Daniel Gortz (University of Lund), Michael Lamport Commons (Harvard Medical School)
Abstract: Organizations in general are likely to become flatter in the 21st century, which also affects the future of institutions of medical care, psychiatric care and forensics. This trend can be seen already today. This paper suggests eight long-term “attractors” (rather than linear short-terms trends) that lead to flatter organizations. Organizations and the need for management and bureaucracy are discussed from an informational perspective. It is argued that management and hierarchical bureaucracy are necessary because information about specific behaviors needs to be processed by organizations, but that informational efficiency simultaneously implies the striving towards the lowest possible number of layers. Then the eight attractors (long-term trends) are presented: 1. the cultural evolution of information management, 2. scientific support for new forms of management, 3. social media technology, 4. social innovation of new management forms, 5. new production and distribution chains, 6. the strong growth of the world market, 7. the radically disruptive technological development, 8. the re-integration of business, politics and civil sphere. Some consequences in medicine, psychiatry and forensics are presented, including the new forms of treatment in psychiatry where psychiatric treatment is likely to become increasingly merged with the real everyday life situations of the patients.
 

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