What term describes a tactic for promoting setting/situation generalization by making the instructional setting similar to the generalization setting, including a two-step process?

• A. Principle of Behavior
• B. Post Reinforcement Pause
• C. Punisher
• D. Programming Common Stimuli

Answer: (D)

Programming common stimuli focuses on making the instructional setting resemble the generalization setting by using the same cues across both environments. The idea is that when the learner encounters the same stimuli—such as materials, prompts, people, and other cues—in training as will appear in the real world, the desired response is more likely to occur in new settings.

This uses a two-step process. First, identify the stimuli that will be present in the generalization setting and ensure those same cues exist in the instructional setting. Second, train the target behavior with those common stimuli present until the behavior reliably occurs in the presence of those cues, facilitating transfer to the natural setting where those cues continue to appear.

For example, if a child is taught to request help using a specific hand gesture, a particular word cue, and the same teacher in a classroom, those same elements should be used during training so the child can generalize the request across other classrooms or at home where similar cues are present.

The other options don’t describe this approach: one is a broad behavior principle, another is a reinforcement-interval effect, and another is a consequence that reduces behavior.