Reinforcement
- The quickest way to change before in anyone is though reinforcement.
- You can improve behavior by 80% just by pointing out what someone is doing correctly.
Non-Contingent Reinforcement
when reinforcement occurs randomly, regardless of a person’s behavior or prior to behavior occurring.
• Advantages:
o Easy to implement
o Inadvertently strengthen desired behaviors
o High rates of reinforcement delivery and low rates of problem behavior
Reinforcement Systems
the presentation of a reward must increase and/or maintain the behavior in order to be classified as a reinforcer.
• Ways to select reinforcers: observe young
• children during free time or play, ask the student, survey parents and teachers for what the child likes, conduct a structured reinforcer assessment.
• Things to keep in mind when considering items/activities as reinforcers:
o Readily available to be used
o Able to be delivered in small amounts
o Not available to the student unless delivered by an adult
o Are as natural/social as possible
o Ensure age appropriateness
o Novelty/surprise may be the greatest reward
Category of Rewards:
- Activity (e.g., computer time, listening to music)
- Edible (e.g., pretzels, sodas)
- Tangible/Object (e.g., toy train, favorite book)
- Negative (e.g., breaks, homework free night)
- Conditioned (e.g., money, tokens)
- Social (e.g., praise, high fives)
Timing is everything
- Reinforce immediately following desired behavior
- Describe desired behavior to individual while reinforcer is being given
- Use lots of praise and physical contact (if appropriate and reinforcing to individual) when delivering reinforcers
Examples of Motivational Systems
token economies (chips, stickers, numbers, photographs, checks, puzzle’s (utilizes pictures of the rewards), point systems: written, golf counters, tickets) or behavior contracts. • Any of these could be individual or group contingencies Satiation occurs when the item chose as the reinforcer is no longer reinforcing (ex: eating a pound of chocolate and then not wanting to work for chocolate anymore).
Response cost
less preferred the activity, the more reinforcers will be needed to effect change.
Behavioral Contracts
specifies what the target behavior is (includes frequency, duration, etc.), who is responsible for emitting the target behavior, what the reinforcement is, who delivers the reinforcement and when it is delivered.
- Applied in the classroom to help manage academic and social behavior.
- Applied in family and behavior therapy sessions to help promote responsibility and consideration of alternatives.
- Applied as a bridge to self-management to involve students and promote responsibility and growth and in decision making.
Schedules of reinforcement Continuous
a continuous reinforcement schedule is one in which each specified response is reinforced.
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Schedules of reinforcement
Intermittent:
reinforce based on a certain number of responses. There are 4 types of intermittent schedules:
Schedules of reinforcement Fixed Ratio (FR)
reinforcement is contingent upon a fixed, predictable number of responses (high rate of response, short pause following each reinforcer).
a. It is abbreviated by “FR” and a number showing how many responses must be made to get the reinforcer (FR5= 5 responses needed to get a reinforcer).
b. Ex: reading a chapter and then taking a break.
Schedules of reinforcement Variable Ratio (VR)
reinforcement is contingent upon a varying, unpredictable number of responses
a. Behaviors on this type of schedule tend to be very persistent (e.g., begging, gambling, abusive relationships). Individual has to work harder and harder to get the reinforcer.
b. It is abbreviated “VR” and a number should an average of how many responses between 1 and 100 must be made to get the reinforcer is added (ex: VR50= an average of 50 responses needed to get a reinforcer- could be the next try, or could take 72 tries).
c. Ex: hunting, fishing, golfing, shooting hoops, telemarketing
Schedules of reinforcement Fixed Interval (FI)
reinforcement is contingent upon the first response after a fixed, predictable period of time.
a. “scallop” pattern produced by a post-reinforcement pause followed by a gradual increasing rate of response as the time interval draws to a close.
b. It is abbreviated “FI” and a number showing how much time must pass before the reinforcer is available (FI30= reinforcement is available for the first response after 30 minutes have passed)
Schedules of reinforcement Variable Interval (VI)
reinforcement is contingent upon the first response after a varying, unpredictable period of time.
a. Moderate, steady rate of response with little or no post-reinforcement pause
b. It is abbreviated as “VI” and a number showing the average time interval that must pass before the reinforcer is available (VI30-min= reinforcement is available for the first response after an average of 30 minutes has passed).
