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Behavior chains can be very complex. However, they are often composed of discrete units of observable and measurable behavior. Each link in the chain typically contains all three elements of a three-term contingency. Specifically, an antecedent stimulus sets the occasion for a response to occur, the response is then emitted, and a consequence follows. However, it is often difficult to identify the controlling stimuli that serve as antecedents and/or consequences for each response. This difficulty arises due to the numerous available stimuli in the immediate environment when a chain is first learned.
Early applied research in the area of task analyses and behavior chains suggested that stimulus control could be transferred from programmed, unnatural prompts to more naturally occurring environmental stimuli (Billingsley & Romer, 1983; Cronin & Cuvo, 1979; Cuvo, Leaf, & Borakove, 1978; Mahoney, Van Wagenen, & Meyerson, 1971). These early studies established basic protocols for the usage of specific prompt hierarchies and prompt fading. Wolery and Gast (1984) outlined four procedures to transfer stimulus control from prompts to naturally occurring stimuli (most-to-least, least-to-most, graduated guidance, and time delay). However, these fading procedures have only been systematically investigated with physical, textual, or visual prompts, and not with vocal prompts.
Recent research and reviews (Bancroft, Weiss, Libby, & Ahearn, 2011; Cuvo, Davis, O'Reilly, Mooney, & Crowley, 1992; Demchak, 1990; Grow et al., 2009; Libby, Weiss, Bancroft, & Ahearn, 2008; MacDuff, Krantz, & McClannahan, 1993; McKay, Weiss, Dickson, & Ahearn, 2014) have explored the efficacy of different prompt hierarchies, prompt fading procedures, and error correction procedures on the acquisition of behavior chains. General findings have included the importance of prompt consistency, fading procedures to reduce prompt dependence, and specific error correction procedures. Again, nearly all published research on behavior chains to date has focused on physical, gestural, and/or textual response prompts and not exclusively the comparison of only vocal response prompts or instructions/rules to other prompts (e.g., gestural, physical, etc.).
Given the lack of systematic investigations on the efficacy of a vocal prompt hierarchy in the training of complex tasks, research in this area is necessary. Behavior chains are often used to teach skills to learners with sophisticated verbal repertoires (e.g., safety checklists, vocational tasks, complex problem-solving strategies etc.) where physical prompt hierarchies would be unrealistic...