1. How to Save a
Princess
an analysis of the
contingencies involved
in mario games
andrea mora

2. oh no!
the princess has been captured
mario you must go save her!

3. well it looks
like it’s
time to save
the princess
again
but what are the
contingencies that
motivate mario to
save her

4. with all these enemies
there must be some strong
contingencies in place

5. after: not
in danger
kill
enemy
before: in
danger
being in
danger is a
very aversive
condition
so killing enemies
is a great escape
contingency
maintaining the
behavior
escape

6. to survive you must
also get power ups
by hitting question
blocks
so hitting
question blocks
is reinforced
with
power ups

7. power ups
super mushrooms will make you
big and able to break bricks
fire flowers will let you throw fireballs
super stars will make you invincible

8. the brick
is not
broken
the brick
is broken
S∆:
don’t
have
power up
jump to
hit
brick
SD:
have a
power up
the brick
is not
broken
stimulus
discrimination

9. there’s also a fixed ratio of
reinforcement for coins
for every 100 coins mario gets an extra
life

10. now you’ll be
able to get
through levels.
beating each
level
reinforces
mario while
allowing him to
go on to the
next level
through
behavioral
chaining

11. now mario will have
to use his new skills
to face his biggest
challenge yet

12. no sight
of bowser
falling in
lava
mario runs
when
bowser
jumps
sight of
bowser
falling in
lava
mario runs
when bowser
pretends to
jump
no sight of
bowser
falling in
lava
extinction
reinforcement
mario is
differentially
reinforced for
timing his running
accurately

13. congratulations!
princess peach is safe and
you’ve discovered the
contingencies motivating mario
to save his princess