Changing Preference from Tangible to Social Activities Through an Observation Procedure | BCBA CEU | Learning | 0.5 Hour

 In this presentation Dr. Justin B. Leaf reviews a 2016 study published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis titled “Changing Preferences from Tangible to Social Activities through an observation procedure”. The rationale for the study is that children diagnosed with autism often display restrictive interests and tend to prefer tangible, edible, or electronic items over social activities. The goal was to condition social stimuli and activities to function as reinforcers through peer observation.

Participants were Kelly, Wayne, and Tony, all five years old and independently diagnosed with autism. Inclusion criteria required that each child’s most preferred item be tangible and their least preferred item be a social activity. A paired-stimulus preference assessment (Fisher, 1992) was conducted across two days to establish a stable hierarchy.

During baseline, the participant chose between high-preferred tangible, low-preferred social, or control stimuli without a peer present; during intervention, a peer first selected and interacted with items before the participant chose. Results demonstrated that peer selection influenced participant choice, with some participants showing immediate switches to previously low-preferred social activities. The speaker emphasizes the power of peers in expanding reinforcers and social opportunities.