Invited Speaker

Experimental Analysis of Behaviour: Somethings I have learned about reinforcers and stimulus control

Abstract

The experimental analysis of behaviour is a science of behaviour that is built on a rich research tradition that focusses on the deliberate and detailed observation of variables that control behaviour.  The emphasis has always been on the observation of individuals and descriptions of behaviour that facilitate prediction and control.  At the heart of these explanations is an appreciation of what some would call the three-term contingency: Antecedents – Behaviour - Consequences – the ABCs.  My talk will focus on two of these – Antecedents and Consequences.  Stimulus control is an area of study that focusses on antecedents – where antecedents might also include context, or the setting conditions as well as the study of stimuli that are deliberately associated with reinforcer delivery. Reinforcer control as an area of study focusses on the control exerted on behaviour by consequences, and draws on a diverse range of ideas and traditions such as Michael’s motivating operations, Timberlake’s Behaviour Systems, Premack’s Principles – and so much more.  This talk will draw together research findings from research with human and non-human animals and explore their relevance and translation to applied settings.

Get to Know Lewis Bizo

Lewis Bizo completed his Ph.D. at the University of Otago in 1994 before working as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Arizona State University, and has subsequently worked in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand as an academic.  He is Deputy Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Technology Sydney.  Lewis’ research interests are many and varied.  He publishes regularly on stimulus control and generalisation, schedules of reinforcement and reinforcer preference.