Transcript Chapter 3 - Forensicconsultation.org

Getting a Behavior to Occur
More Often with Positive
Reinforcement
Chapter 3
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Positive Reinforcement
•
A positive reinforcer is an event that, when presented immediately
following a behavior, causes the behavior to increase in frequency (or
likelihood of occurrence).
•
The principle called positive reinforcement states that if, in a given
situation, somebody does something that is followed immediately by a
positive reinforcer, then that person is more likely to do the same
thing again when he or she next encounters a similar situation.
•
The terms positive reinforcement and reinforcement are often
used interchangeably.
•
Operant behaviors are those that operate on the environment to
generate consequences, and are in turn influenced by those
consequences; operant behaviors followed by reinforcers are
strengthened.
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Positive Reinforcement
(Example)
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Selecting the Behavior
to Be Increased
– The behaviors to be reinforced must first be
identified specifically in order to:
(a) help to ensure the reliability of detecting
instances of the behavior and changes in its
frequency, which is the yardstick by which one
judges reinforcer effectiveness;
(b) increase the likelihood that the reinforcement
program will be applied consistently.
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
• Choosing Reinforcers (“Different Strokes
for Different Folks”)
– Most positive reinforcers can be classified under five somewhat
overlapping headings:
• consumable (i.e. items that one can eat or drink)
• activity (i.e. opportunities to watch TV, look at a picture book,
etc.)
• manipulative (i.e. opportunities to play with a favorite toy, color
or paint, ride a bicycle, etc.)
• possessional (i.e. enjoy some other item that one can possess)
• social (i.e. affectionate pats and hugs, praise, nods, smiles, etc.)
– The extrinsic–intrinsic distinction between reinforcers may not
be valid
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Motivating Operations
– Temporarily alter the effectiveness of a reinforcer, and alter the
frequency of behavior reinforced by that reinforcer.
– Deprivation vs. satiation
• Most reinforcers will not be effective unless the individual has
been deprived of them for some period of time prior to their use
(establishing operations vs. abolishing operations).
– Motivational variable
• A variable that affects the likelihood and direction of behavior.
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Factors Influencing the Effectiveness
of Positive Reinforcement (cont.)
• Reinforcer Size
– The size (or amount or magnitude) of a reinforcer is an
important determinant of its effectiveness.
• Instructions: Make Use of Rules
– Specific instructions will speed up the learning process for
individuals who understand them.
– Instructions may influence an individual to work for delayed
reinforcement.
– Adding instructions to reinforcement programs may help to
teach individuals to follow instructions.
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Factors Influencing the Effectiveness
of Positive Reinforcement (cont.)
• Reinforcer Immediacy
– For maximum effectiveness, a reinforcer should be given
immediately after the desired response.
– The distinction between direct- and indirect-acting effects of
reinforcement has important implications for practitioners.
– If you can’t present a reinforcer immediately following the
desired behavior, then provide instructions concerning the
delay of reinforcement.
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Example of Delayed Reinforcement
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Factors Influencing the Effectiveness
of Positive Reinforcement (cont.)
• Contingent versus Noncontingent
Reinforcement
– When a behavior must occur before a reinforcer will be
presented, we say that the reinforcer is contingent on that
behavior.
– If a reinforcer is presented at a particular time, regardless of
the preceding behavior, we say that the reinforcer is
noncontingent.
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Factors Influencing the Effectiveness
of Positive Reinforcement (cont.)
• Weaning the Student from the Program and
Changing to Natural Reinforcers
– Unprogrammed reinforcers that occur in the normal course of
everyday living are called natural reinforcers, and the settings
in which they occur are called the natural environment.
– The behavior modifier should always try to ensure that the
behavior being established in a training program will be
reinforced and maintained in the natural environment.
– If a behavior that has been strengthened by reinforcement is no
longer reinforced at least occasionally, then that behavior will
return to its original level.
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Pitfalls of Positive Reinforcement
• How the Principle Can Work Against the
Unwary
– Those who are aware of the principle of positive reinforcement
can use it to bring about desirable changes in behavior; the
principle operates equally well for those who are not aware of it.
• Other Pitfalls
– The tendency for novice behavior modifiers to assume that
presenting reinforcers noncontingently will strengthen a specific
behavior.
– To mistakenly offer positive reinforcement as an overly simplistic
explanation of a change in behavior.
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Guidelines for the Effective Application
of Positive Reinforcement
1.
Selecting the behavior to be increased.
–
The target behavior should be a specific behavior rather than a
general category. Also, if possible, select a behavior that will come
under the control of natural reinforcers after it has been increased
in frequency.
2.
Selecting the reinforcer.
–
Complete the reinforcer survey presented in Figure 3-3 and select
strong reinforcers that
•
are readily available.
•
can be presented immediately following the desired behavior.
•
can be used over and over again without causing rapid satiation.
•
do not require a great deal of time to consume (if it takes a halfhour to consume the reinforcer, this minimizes the training
time).
–
Use as many reinforcers as feasible, and, where appropriate, use a
reinforcer tray or menu.
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Guidelines for the Effective Application
of Positive Reinforcement (cont.)
3. Applying positive reinforcement.
–
–
–
–
Tell the individual about the plan before starting.
Reinforce immediately following the desired behavior.
Describe the desired behavior to the individual while the reinforcer
is being given.
Use lots of praise and physical contact when dispensing reinforcers.
4. Weaning the student from the program.
–
–
–
If a behavior has been occurring at a desirable rate, you might try to
gradually eliminate tangible reinforcers (such as treats and toys)
and maintain the behavior with social reinforcement.
Look for reinforcers in the natural environment that might
maintain the behavior once it has been increased in frequency.
To ensure that the behavior is being reinforced occasionally and
that the desired frequency is being maintained, plan periodic
assessments of the behavior after the program has terminated.
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Looking Ahead
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