ABA Cooper Chapter 11: Positive Reinforcement

ABA Cooper Textbook Chapter 11

Positive Reinforcement

When a type of behavior is followed by reinforcement there will be an increased future frequency of that type of behavior

Three qualifications regarding the conditions under the effects of reinforcement will occur

-The timing between the end of given response and the onset of the stimulus change

-The relationship between stimulus conditions present when the response was emitted

-The role of motivation

Immediacy of Reinforcement

The behavior temporally closest to the presentation of the reinforcer will be strengthened by its presentation

-A response-to-reinforcement delay of as little as 1 second will be less effective than a reinforcer delivered immediately

A rule

A verbal description of a behavioral contingency

Rule-Governed Behavior

Behavior controlled by a rule: a verbal statement of an antecedent-behavior-consequence contingency

Indicators of behavior is rule-governed

-No immediate consequence is apparent

-Response-consequence delay is greater than 30 seconds

-Behavior changes without reinforcement

-A large increase in behavior occurs following one reinforcement

-No consequence exists, but the rule exists

Circular Reasoning

A form of faulty logic in which the name used to describe an observed effect is mistaken as the cause for the effect

Two Forms of Motivating Operations

Establishing operation and Abolishing operation

Establishing Operation:

Increases current effectiveness of a reinforcer

Abolishing Operation

Decreases current effectiveness of a reinforcer

Two basic types of reinforcers

Unconditioned reinforcer and conditioned reinforcer

Unconditioned Reinforcer (Primary Reinforcer)

Stimulus change that functions as reinforcement even though the learner has had no particular learning history with it

Conditioned reinforcer

A previously neutral stimulus change that functions as a reinforcer through stimulus-stimulus pairing with one or more unconditioned reinforcers or conditioned reinforcers

Generalized Conditioned Reinforcer

A conditioned reinforcer that has been paired with unconditioned and conditioned reinforcers and does not depend on a current establishing operation (EO) for any particular form of reinforcement for its effectiveness

-Money, tokens

Premack Principle

Making the opportunity to engage in a behavior that occurs at a relatively high rate contingent on the occurrence of a low-frequency behavior will function as reinforcement for the low-occurrence behavior

Response-Deprivation Hypothesis

-Model for predicating whether access to one behavior will function as reinforcement for another behavior

-Based on the relative baseline rates at which each behavior occurs and whether access to the contingent behavior represents a restriction compared to the baseline level of engagement

Positive Reinforcement Control Procedures

Used to manipulate the contingent presentation of a potential reinforcer and/or observe any effects on the future frequency of behavior

Control is demonstrated by

-Comparing response rates in the absence and presence of a contingency

-Showing that with the absence and presence of the contingency the behavior can be turned on and off, or up and down

Control Procedures for Positive Reinforcement

Noncontingent Reinforcement (NCR), Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior (DRO), Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)

Noncontingent Reinforcement (NCR)

The presentation of a potential reinforcer on a fixed-time (FT) or variable-time (VT) schedule independent of the occurrence of the target behavior

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior (DRO)

Delivers a potential reinforcer whenever the target behavior has not occurred during a set time interval or at a specific point in time

Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA)

The potential reinforcer is presented contingent on occurrences of a desirable alternative to the target behavior

Nine Guidelines for Applying Positive Reinforcement Effectively

1. Set an easily achieved initial criterion for reinforcement

2. Use high-quality reinforcers of sufficient magnitude

3. Use varied reinforcers to maintain potent establishing operations

4. Use direct rather than indirect reinforcement contingencies when possible

5. Combine response prompts and reinforcement

6. Initially reinforce each occurrence of the behavior initially

7. Provide Contingent attention and descriptive praise

8. Gradually increase the response-to-reinforcement delay

9. Gradually shift from contrived to naturally occurring reinforcers