In a discrete trial, which component is an antecedent?

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Multiple Choice

In a discrete trial, which component is an antecedent?

In discrete trial training, the sequence centers on what signals the learner to respond. The antecedent is the discriminative stimulus—the cue or instruction shown to indicate which behavior will be reinforced. It establishes the occasion for the learner to respond with the correct behavior. After the SD, a prompt may be provided to help evoke the right response, and the actual response then leads to a consequence such as reinforcement or punishment. Because reinforcement and consequence occur after the response, they are not antecedents. Prompts are a support mechanism used during the trial, not the cue itself. So the discriminative stimulus is the antecedent.

In discrete trial training, the sequence centers on what signals the learner to respond. The antecedent is the discriminative stimulus—the cue or instruction shown to indicate which behavior will be reinforced. It establishes the occasion for the learner to respond with the correct behavior. After the SD, a prompt may be provided to help evoke the right response, and the actual response then leads to a consequence such as reinforcement or punishment. Because reinforcement and consequence occur after the response, they are not antecedents. Prompts are a support mechanism used during the trial, not the cue itself. So the discriminative stimulus is the antecedent.

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