Stimulus selection and tracking during urination: autoshaping directed behavior with toilet targets

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Developmental Disabilities Research

Background:

• Traditional toilet training methods can be ineffective for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• Investigating alternative stimuli for toilet training is crucial for improving outcomes.

Observation:

• Ten neurologically typical males preferred a floating, trackable target over stationary ones during urination.
• A severely intellectually disabled male responded rapidly to a floating target, redirecting urination effectively.

Findings:

• The floating target stimulus facilitated rapid autoshaping of directed urination in nine institutionalized, moderately intellectually disabled males.
• This method achieved directed urination without verbal cues or conventional toilet training techniques.

Implications:

• This technique offers a promising, non-verbal approach for toilet training individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• Potential applications include institutions for the retarded, psychiatric wards with regressed patients, and male dormitories.