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The SORCK Analysis

The SORCK analysis is a method developed by Kanfer and Saslow in 1969 which provides a structure by which you can analyse the pattern of antecedent and consequent events which maintain the problem behaviour. As such, the SORCK is grounded on the operant perspective on the maintenance of behaviours.

Stimuli

Historical Stimuli

Those antecedent stimuli that historically precede the target behaviour, increase the likelihood that it will occur, but do not elicit the behaviour directly; For example, a disagreement between mother and father over breakfast may increase the likelihood that the mother and child will engage in conflict later that morning.

Contextual Stimuli

Those stimuli that occur concurrently with the target behaviour and increase the likelihood of it occurring, but do not directly elicit it. For examples sitting in a lecture theatre may not directly elicit nail biting, but increases the likelihood of nail biting to occur.

Immediate Stimuli

Stimuli that occur immediately prior to the target behaviour (i.e., few minutes or less) and directly elicit its occurrence. May either be a conditioned stimulus (CS) that elicits a conditioned response (e.g. fear) or may be a discriminative stimulus that signals the availability of reinforcement or punishment. The same stimulus may serve as both a CS and discriminative stimulus on some occasions.

Organismic Variables

Those variables that moderate the relationship between the antecedent stimulus and target behaviour and are characteristic of the current state of the organism. For example, illness, cognition, affect, drugs.

Target Behaviour

The behaviour of interest; the subject of the analysis

Consequences

Immediate Consequences

Stimuli that occur immediately after the target behaviour and alter the likelihood of its recurrence. The effects or changes in the environment produced by the target behaviour. For example, nagging by wife has the immediate consequence of husband doing his chore.

Long-term or Delayed Consequences

Changes produced by the target behaviour that are not immediate, do not directly effect the likelihood of its recurrence, but influence contextual variables that may be indirectly related to the recurrence of the behaviour. For example, fighting between siblings may produce parental attention, which reinforces the fighting (immediate consequence), and case parents to become less involved in the siblings' play on future occasions (delayed consequences). Both increases the likelihood that the siblings will fight.

Contingencies

Classification of the consequences as positive/negative reinforcers/punishers

SORCK Analysis Notes

• it is a tool by which you can structure the pattern of events that occur along with a behaviour
• from this you can identify the antecedent and consequent events which maintain a behaviour
• you need to focus on what stimuli may cause a behaviour and these may either be CSs which elicit a CR or a discriminative stimulus SD which signals the availability of reinforcement or punishment, or both.
• the behaviour the SORCK is based on is called the target behaviour

1. Historical

• may not be directly related to the intervention
• helps to understand the origin of the problem
• must occur historically before the target behaviour and are no longer in operation
• they also must increase the likelihood of the behaviour
• they do not elicit the behaviour directly

2. Contextual

• occur concurrently with the behaviour
• they increase the likelihood of the behaviour
• the elicit the behaviour directly

3. Immediate

• occurs immediately (a few minutes or less) prior to the target behaviour
• they increase the likelihood of the behaviour
• they elicit the behaviour directly

• they moderate the relationship between the antecedent stimuli and the target behaviour
• are characteristic of the current state of the organism e.g. emotions, illness, cognitive functioning.

Response or Target Behaviour

• the behaviour of interest, the subject of the analyses

1 . Immediate

• stimuli that occur immediately after the behaviour
• they directly alter the likelihood of recurrence of the behaviour
• they are produced by the target behaviour

2. Long-term

• do not occur immediately after the behaviour
• do not directly alter the likelihood of its recurrence but influence contextual variables that may be indirectly related to the recurrence of the behaviour -feedback to influence context and organismic states

• classify the consequences as positive/negative reinforcers/punishers

Please read the Copyright information.
February, 1998

e-mail: ottmar@psy.uq.edu.au
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