The first Contingency we’ll
be working on is:
The
Ineffective Natural
Contingency
Estimated Time: 15 min.
Julie’s on the swim team. Her coach
says they’re doing more goofing off
than practicing. So she’s going to
try something new…
If everyone
improves their
productivity by
15%, they can
listen to music
during the next
practice.
Let’s look at the Three-Contingency
model for this example:
Julie has given
level of swimming
ability
Julie will lose the
opportunity to listen
to music at the
next practice
Julie fears losing
the opportunity
to listen to music
Julie practices hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater swimming
ability
Julie practices hard
Julie will not lose
the opportunity
to listen to music
at the next practice
Julie practices hard
Julie does not fear
losing the
opportunity
to listen to music
The first contingency is the
Ineffective Natural Contingency.
Julie has given
level of swimming
ability
Julie will lose the
opportunity to listen
to music at the
next practice
Julie fears losing
the opportunity
to listen to music
Julie practices hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater swimming
ability
Julie practices hard
Julie will not lose
the opportunity
to listen to music
at the next practice
Julie practices hard
Julie does not fear
losing the
opportunity
to listen to music
The first test for this
contingency is the
“Natural Contingency Test”.
We need to determine
whether the contingency
exists prior to performance
management. If it does, it’s
a natural contingency.
Does this contingency exist prior to
performance management?
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
A. Yes
B. No
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
Oops, does anyone add
Does
this incontingency
exist prior to
the increase
Julie’s
ability, or is it justmanagement?
performance
something that happens?
Look again!
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
A. Yes
B. No
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
Back to
the
question!
Does this contingency exist prior to
performance management?
You’re right,
nobody added
this
contingency!
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
A. Yes
B. No
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
So then, what kind of
contingency is this?
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
A. PM Contingency
B. Natural Contingency
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
No, no one added this…she
naturally gets a little bit better
after each time she practices.
So then, what kind of
contingency
isis athis?
That’s why this
NATURAL
contingency
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
A. PM Contingency
B. Natural Contingency
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
Back to
the
question!
That’s right! Julie
naturally gets better each
time she practices
hard…so this is a natural
contingency.
So then, what kind of
contingency is this?
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
A. PM Contingency
B. Natural Contingency
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
Now we know that this
contingency is a natural
contingency…it existed
prior to performance
management…but we
have to ask a few more
questions, to make sure
that it is the
INEFFECTIVE Natural
Contingency.
First, we look at the before and after
conditions…and see if the change from
the before to the after condition is large
and/or probable.
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
This is the
“Ineffective Contingency Test”
If the change is
small…
Or improbable…
Then the
contingency is
ineffective.
Is this contingency effective or
ineffective?
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
A. Ineffective
B. Effective
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
Is this contingency
effective or
Wait a minute! Look
the before and
ineffective?atafter
conditions
again!
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
A. Ineffective
B. Effective
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
Back to
the
question!
Good job! This
Is this contingency
effective
or
contingency
is
Keep
ineffective? ineffective.
going to find out
why.
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
A. Ineffective
B. Effective
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
We know this contingency is
ineffective, but why?
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
A. The outcome is too improbable
B. The outcome is too small
No…every time Julie practices,
there’s an increase in her level
of swimming ability. The
problem is not the probability,
it’s the small but cumulative
outcome!
We know this contingency is
ineffective, but why?
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
A. The outcome is too improbable
B. The outcome is too small
Back to
the
question!
Very good. The
increase in ability is
infinitesimal, which
means very small.
We know this contingency is
ineffective, but why?
Before
Julie has given
level of
swimming
ability
Behavior
After
Julie practices
hard
Julie has
infinitesimally
greater
swimming
ability
A. The outcome is too improbable
B. The outcome is too small
How about this one. Is this
contingency a natural contingency?
Before
You have a
very small
chance
of getting hurt
or killed in a
car accident
A. Yes
B. No
Behavior
After
You buckle
your safety
belt
You have an
infinitesimally
smaller
chance of
being hurt
or killed
Excellent!!!! This
contingency exists
without anyone adding
or planning it.
How about this one. Is this
contingency a natural contingency?
Before
You have a
very small
chance
of getting hurt
or killed in a
car accident
A. Yes
B. No
Behavior
After
You buckle
your safety
belt
You have an
infinitesimally
smaller
chance of
being hurt
or killed
No, this IS a natural
contingency. It exists before
(and without) any performance
management contingencies!
How about this one. Is this
contingency a natural contingency?
Before
You have a
very small
chance
of getting hurt
or killed in a
car accident
A. Yes
B. No
Behavior
After
You buckle
your safety
belt
You have an
infinitesimally
smaller
chance of
being hurt
or killed
Back to
the
question!
Is this contingency effective or
ineffective?
Before
You have a
very small
chance
of getting hurt
or killed in a
car accident
A. Effective
B. Ineffective
Behavior
After
You buckle
your safety
belt
You have an
infinitesimally
smaller
chance of
being hurt
or killed
Careful, this contingency
is INEFFECTIVE! Look at
the before and after
conditions again.
Is this contingency effective or
ineffective?
Before
You have a
very small
chance
of getting hurt
or killed in a
car accident
A. Effective
B. Ineffective
Behavior
After
You buckle
your safety
belt
You have an
infinitesimally
smaller
chance of
being hurt
or killed
Back to
the
question!
Is this contingency effective or
Right, this contingency is
ineffective?
INEFFECTIVE!
Before
You have a
very small
chance
of getting hurt
or killed in a
car accident
A. Effective
B. Ineffective
Behavior
After
You buckle
your safety
belt
You have an
infinitesimally
smaller
chance of
being hurt
or killed
Why is this contingency ineffective?
Before
You have a
very small
chance
of getting hurt
or killed in a
car accident
Behavior
After
You buckle
your safety
belt
You have an
infinitesimally
smaller
chance of
being hurt
or killed
A. The outcome is too small
B. The outcome is too improbable
No, it’s ineffective because
it’s too improbable…you have
less of a CHANCE of getting
hurt…you don’t get hurt a
little bit each time.
Why is this contingency ineffective?
Before
You have a
very small
chance
of getting hurt
or killed in a
car accident
Behavior
After
You buckle
your safety
belt
You have an
infinitesimally
smaller
chance of
being hurt
or killed
A. The outcome is too small
B. The outcome is too improbable
Back to
the
question!
Why is this contingency ineffective?
Before
That’s right!!!! Getting seriously
hurt in an accident is not very
likely…so it won’t control
behavior.
You have a
very small
chance
of getting hurt
or killed in a
car accident
Behavior
After
You buckle
your safety
belt
You have an
infinitesimally
smaller
chance of
being hurt
or killed
A. The outcome is too small
B. The outcome is too improbable
When we’re analyzing the ThreeContingency Model, it’s also important
to distinguish between the Ineffective
Natural Contingency and Effective
Competing Contingencies.
This is the
“Competing Contingency Test”
Effective Competing Contingencies
have outcomes that compete with the
Natural Contingency.
Before
Julie has no
social
reinforcers
Behavior
After
Julie talks
with
friends
Julie has
social
reinforcers
Talking with friends
effectively competes
with practicing hard.
So, which of these is a natural contingency?
Before
A.
B.
You have given
level of
knowledge
You have no
visual and
auditory
stimulation
Behavior
After
You read one
page
You have
infinitesimally
greater
knowledge
You watch
TV
You have
visual and
auditory
stimulation
A. A is a Natural Contingency
B. B is a Natural Contingency
C. Both A and B are Natural Contingencies
Well, B is a natural contingency.
But look at A … did anybody add
or plan that contingency?
So, which of these is a natural contingency?
Before
A.
B.
You have given
level of
knowledge
You have no
visual and
auditory
stimulation
Behavior
After
You read one
page
You have
infinitesimally
greater
knowledge
You watch
TV
You have
visual and
auditory
stimulation
A. A is a Natural Contingency
B. B is a Natural Contingency
C. Both A and B are Natural Contingencies
Back to
the
question!
Yes, A is a natural contingency.
However, look also at B. Did
anybody add or plan that
Behaviorcontingency?
After
So, which of these is a natural contingency?
Before
A.
B.
You have given
level of
knowledge
You have no
visual and
auditory
stimulation
You read one
page
You have
infinitesimally
greater
knowledge
You watch
TV
You have
visual and
auditory
stimulation
A. A is a Natural Contingency
B. B is a Natural Contingency
C. Both A and B are Natural Contingencies
Back to
the
question!
Which of these is a natural contingency?
Before
A.
B.
You have given
level of
knowledge
You have no
visual and
auditory
stimulation
You got it!!!! Both of these exist
prior to performance
management…no one designed
Behavior
them to manageAfter
performance.
You read one
page
You have
infinitesimally
greater
knowledge
You watch
TV
You have
visual and
auditory
stimulation
A. A is a Natural Contingency
B. B is a Natural Contingency
C. Both A and B are Natural Contingencies
Which of these is ineffective?
Before
A.
B.
You have given
level of
knowledge
Behavior
After
You read one
page
You have
infinitesimally
greater
knowledge
You watch
TV
You have
visual and
auditory
stimulation
You have no
visual and
auditory
stimulation
A. A is the Ineffective Natural Contingency
B.
B is the Ineffective Natural Contingency
C.
Neither. Both A and B are effective
D. Both A and B are ineffective
You’re exactly
right…the outcome is
too small to control the
Behavior
After
behavior.
Which of these is ineffective?
Before
A.
B.
You have given
level of
knowledge
You read one
page
You have
infinitesimally
greater
knowledge
You watch
TV
You have
visual and
auditory
stimulation
You have no
visual and
auditory
stimulation
A. A is the Ineffective Natural Contingency
B.
B is the Ineffective Natural Contingency
C.
Neither. Both A and B are effective
D. Both A and B are ineffective
A is ineffective,
because the
outcome is too
small.
Which of these is ineffective?
Before
A.
You have given
level of
knowledge
Behavior
You read one
page
After
You have
infinitesimally
greater
knowledge
B.
You have
You watch
visual and
TV
auditory
No, Bstimulation
is effective. It’s an
Effective Competing
Contingency…the outcome is big
enough and probable enough to
A is the Ineffective Natural Contingency
control the behavior.
B is the Ineffective Natural Contingency
C.
Neither. Both A and B are effective
B.
A.
You have no
visual and
auditory
stimulation
D. Both A and B are ineffective
Back to
the
question!
No, one of these
contingencies is
ineffective. See if
you canAfter
figure out
which one!
Which of these is ineffective?
Before
A.
B.
You have given
level of
knowledge
Behavior
You read one
page
You have
infinitesimally
greater
knowledge
You watch
TV
You have
visual and
auditory
stimulation
You have no
visual and
auditory
stimulation
A. A is the Ineffective Natural Contingency
B.
B is the Ineffective Natural Contingency
C.
Neither. Both A and B are effective
D. Both A and B are ineffective
Back to
the
question!
No,ineffective?
B is effective. It’s an Effective
Which of these isCompeting
Contingency…the outcome
is big enough and probable
Behavior
After enough to
Before
A.
B.
You have given
level of
knowledge
control the behavior.
You read one
page
You have
infinitesimally
greater
knowledge
You watch
TV
You have
visual and
auditory
stimulation
You have no
visual and
auditory
stimulation
A. A is the Ineffective Natural Contingency
B.
B is the Ineffective Natural Contingency
C.
Neither. Both A and B are effective
D. Both A and B are ineffective
Back to
the
question!
Let’s try a few more examples, to
make sure you’ve got this stuff
down.
You are trying to quit
smoking, so you tell
your roommate you will
pay him $1 for every
cigarette you smoke…
Which of these contingencies would be the correct
Ineffective Natural Contingency?
A.
You do not feel
the rush of
nicotine
B.
You will not have
To pay your
Roommate $1
C.
You have a given
Level of health
You take a puff
You do feel the
rush of nicotine
You take a puff
You will have to
Pay your roommate
$1
You take a puff
You have
Infinitesimally worse
health
A. A is the correct Contingency
B. B is the correct Contingency
C. C is the correct Contingency
D. None of the Contingencies are correct.
Which of these contingencies would
correct
No, be
onethe
of the
contingencies is
Ineffective Natural Contingency? ineffective. See which one it
is.
A.
You do not feel
the rush of
nicotine
B.
You will not have
To pay your
Roommate $1
C.
You have a given
Level of health
You take a puff
You do feel the
rush of nicotine
You take a puff
You will have to
Pay your roommate
$1
You take a puff
You have
Infinitesimally worse
health
A. A is the correct Contingency
B. B is the correct Contingency
C. C is the correct Contingency
D. None of the Contingencies are correct.
Back to
the
question!
Which of these contingencies would beNope…B
the correct
is an effective
Ineffective Natural Contingency?
contingency. Try the
question again!
A.
You do not feel
the rush of
nicotine
B.
You will not have
to pay your
Roommate $1
C.
You have a given
level of health
You take a puff
You do feel the
rush of nicotine
You take a puff
You will have to
pay your roommate
$1
You take a puff
You have
infinitesimally worse
health
A. A is the correct Contingency
B. B is the correct Contingency
C. C is the correct Contingency
D. None of the Contingencies are correct.
Back to
the
question!
Which of these contingencies would be the correct
This one is the effective
Ineffective Natural Contingency? competing contingency. So
A.
You do not feel
the rush of
nicotine
B.
You will not have
To pay your
Roommate $1
C.
You have a given
Level of health
You take a puff
it fails the ineffective
contingency
test.
You do feel
the Try it
rush again!
of nicotine
You take a puff
You will have to
Pay your roommate
$1
You take a puff
You have
Infinitesimally worse
health
A. A is the correct Contingency
B. B is the correct Contingency
C. C is the correct Contingency
D. None of the Contingencies are correct.
Back to
the
question!
Which of these contingencies would be the correct
You’re right!!! C passes
Ineffective Natural Contingency?
all the tests!!!
A.
You do not feel
the rush of
nicotine
B.
You will not have
To pay your
Roommate $1
C.
You have a given
Level of health
You take a puff
You do feel the
rush of nicotine
You take a puff
You will have to
Pay your roommate
$1
You take a puff
You have
Infinitesimally worse
health
A. A is the correct Contingency
B. B is the correct Contingency
C. C is the correct Contingency
D. None of the Contingencies are correct.
Yoko wants to practice
her violin more. For
every day she doesn’t
practice, for 30
minutes, Yoko will have
to do one of her
roommate, Rick’s,
chores .
Which of these contingencies would be the
correct Ineffective Natural Contingency?
A.
Yoko has a given
level of ability on
the violin
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko has an
infinitesimally
higher level of
ability on the
violin
B.
Yoko has 30
minutes of free
time
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko doesn’t
have 30 minutes
of free time
C.
Yoko will have
to do one of her
roommate’s chores
on Saturday
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko won’t have to
do one of her
roommate’s chores
on Saturday
A. A is the correct Contingency
B. B is the correct Contingency
C. C is the correct Contingency
D. None of the Contingencies are correct.
Which of these contingencies would be the
correct Ineffective Natural Contingency?
A.
Yoko has a given
level of ability on
the violin
B.
Yoko has 30
minutes of free
time
C.
Yoko will have
to do one of her
roommate’s chores
on Saturday
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko has an
infinitesimally
higher level of
ability on the
violin
Watch out! This is the
Yoko practices her
Yoko doesn’t
Effective
Competing
violin for 30
have 30 minutes
Contingency.
Look at
thetime
minutes
of free
contingencies again.
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko won’t have to
do one of her
roommate’s chores
on Saturday
A. A is the correct Contingency
B. B is the correct Contingency
C. C is the correct Contingency
D. None of the Contingencies are correct.
Back to
the
question!
Which of these contingencies would be the
correct Ineffective Natural Contingency?
A.
Yoko has a given
level of ability on
the violin
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko has an
infinitesimally
higher level of
ability on the
violin
B.
Yoko has 30
minutes of free
time
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko doesn’t
have 30 minutes
of free time
C.
Yoko will have
to do one of her
roommate’s chores
on Saturday
Uh-oh! This is the
Yoko won’t have to
Performance
Management
Yoko practices
her
do one
It
wasof her
violin forContingency.
30
roommate’s chores
minutes
designed
by Yoko and
Rick to
on Saturday
manage her performance.
A. A is the correct Contingency
B. B is the correct Contingency
C. C is the correct Contingency
D. None of the Contingencies are correct.
Back to
the
question!
Which of these contingencies
be the
Careful! One of would
these contingencies
is the
correct
Ineffective
Natural Contingency. Try
correct Ineffective
Natural
Contingency?
to find out which one it is.
A.
Yoko has a given
level of ability on
the violin
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko has an
infinitesimally
higher level of
ability on the
violin
B.
Yoko has 30
minutes of free
time
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko doesn’t
have 30 minutes
of free time
C.
Yoko will have
to do one of her
roommate’s chores
on Saturday
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko won’t have to
do one of her
roommate’s chores
on Saturday
A. A is the correct Contingency
B. B is the correct Contingency
C. C is the correct Contingency
D. None of the Contingencies are correct.
Back to
the
question!
Which of these contingencies would be the
Good job! The natural outcome of
correct Ineffective
Natural Contingency?
Yoko’s practicing is an infinitesimal
A.
increase in her abilities. However,
Yoko has an
Yoko has a given the tiny
Yokochange
practicesin
hersize makes
infinitesimally
that
level of ability on
violin for 30
higher level of
contingency
ineffective
in
controlling
the violin
minutes
ability on the
behavior.
violin
B.
Yoko has 30
minutes of free
time
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko doesn’t
have 30 minutes
of free time
C.
Yoko will have
to do one of her
roommate’s chores
on Saturday
Yoko practices her
violin for 30
minutes
Yoko won’t have to
do one of her
roommate’s chores
on Saturday
A. A is the correct Contingency
B. B is the correct Contingency
C. C is the correct Contingency
D. None of the Contingencies are correct.
The Ineffective Natural Contingency
portion of the work-show is
complete. You may choose to stop
here or continue on with the
Performance Management
Contingency Section (est. 15 mins.)