The Pros And Cons Of Noncontingent Reinforcement

Development of an intervention is the final step in the functional behavior assessment (FBA) process. In the completion of the FBA antecedent and reinforcing contingencies are identified which can be manipulated to prevent the behavior from occurring, remove reinforcement for engaging in the undesired behavior, or be utilized to reinforce alternate behaviors (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). An FBA is a necessary component of the intervention process in that it provides the necessary information with regard to the function of the behavior through the systematic manipulation of environmental variables thought to maintain the problem under controlled conditions; yielding a clear demonstration of the interaction between the independent variable

Acceleration and deceleration of target behaviors are central to behavior therapy. Acceleration a behavior is to make a behavior occur more frequently or intensely, whereas decelerating a behavior is to decrease the frequently or intensity of a behavior. By employing methods that serve to either accelerate or decelerate a behavior, an individual can overcome acting out maladaptive or undesirable behaviors and promote the occurrence of adaptive or desirable behaviors. Acceleration behavior therapy employs two general mechanisms to accelerate target behaviors; stimulus control and reinforcement. Although these two distinct methods of accelerating target behaviors work to accomplish the same goal (i.e., increasing the frequency of the

Punishment-Based interventions are types of treatment that is sometime used in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis to modify or change behaviors. There is a quite a bit of controversy and misunderstanding related to use of punishment. Punishment-based interventions have been proven to be one of the most controversial treatments used by behavior analyst and found in behavior analyst literature (e.g. Johnston, 1991; Matson & Kazdin, 1981; Repp & Singh, 1990) (DiGennaro Reed, & Lovett, 2008). The definition itself is many times confused or lack understanding. Cooper, Heron, and Heward (2006) explain that punishment frequently misunderstood, misapplied and quite controversial. There are some therapists or behavior analysts, parents, caregivers, teachers, and people in general who support punishment and some who do not (Hall, 2013). Although there is a lot of controversy about whether to use punishment or not, punishment is indeed still sometimes used in the field of applied behavior analysis, but there are special guidelines for using punishment based procedures in the field. Before a behavior analyst can decide whether or not they want to use punishment in an intervention, they must clearly understand the definition

Multiple treatments have been established to treat escape maintained behavior. Escape extinction is often utilized in the treatment of behaviors that are maintained through the removal of demands. Escape extinction involves no longer allowing the delay, removal, or avoidance of demands contingent on the occurrence of the problem behavior (Iwata, Pace, Kalsher, Cowdery, & Cataldo, 1990). Escape extinction provides some advantages as it is easily compatible with other treatments, increasing the effectiveness of those treatments. However, escape extinction may have some disadvantages including that it may be difficult for those providing treatment to do so with high levels of integrity due to the effort involved in doing so. If treatment is not implemented consistently it may make it more difficult to implement extinction in the future (McConnachi & Carr, 1997). There may also be an increase in the targeted response and aggression following extinction (Lerman, Iwata, & Wallace, 1999). While extinction is effective there are associated side effects that are incompatible with wide spread use in many public settings such as classrooms. There is a need for

Reinforcement is an essential part in identifying and encouraging a certain behavior. In the most classic definition, positive reinforcement is a method of identifying to children which behaviors are acceptable and appropriate and which are not (Sigler, E. & Aamidor, S, 2005). Reinforcement is often given as praise for doing a certain task. As educators, saying “great job” or a simple word like “fantastic” are expressed towards students as praise. However, when a student is struggling and praise is given such as “you are doing so well”, the negative aspects of praise present themselves. The child is aware of the empty praise therefore it may work against the teacher if it is taken as a false

Background (key works): Reinforcement theory is rooted in theory of operant conditioning based primarily on the work of the American behavior scientist B.F. Skinner (Borkowski, 2011). In contrast to Ivan Pavlov’ respondent conditioning controlled by

Chapter 8 focused on differential reinforcement, deceleration behavioral therapy, aversion therapy, deceleration behavior therapies for addictive behaviors, and ethical issues in the use of aversive therapies. Reinforcement therapy is used to accelerate adaptive and desirable behaviors. The preferred way to decelerate an unwanted behavior is to reinforce an acceleration target behavior that is an alternative to the deceleration target behavior, this is called differential reinforcement. This method is effective because it provides less of an opportunity to engage in the deceleration target behavior. There are five types of differential reinforcement, incompatible behaviors, competing behaviors, alternative behaviors, any other behaviors and

shoe tying). The authors stated that reinforcement is given when the last step meets criterion, then the next reinforcement is delivered with the last and next to last steps are completed to the master criterion (Cooper et al., 2007, p.443). For instance, the behavior analysts would conduct all the procedures of shoe tying except pulling the strings, leaving this procedure for the client to conduct). The advantages of backward chaining is receiving repetitive reinforcement of all behaviors increase the responses of the correct responses, and the disadvantage is that the number of responses may be limited in the earlier process (Cooper et al.,2007, p. 446). Therefore, it is deemed necessary for the behavior analyst to determine highly preferred reinforces to reduce the client’s passive participation in the intervention. In the past study, when the behavior analysts used

During baseline engagement in the target behavior occurred on one occasion which equated to a mean occurrence of .33 times per session. While competing behaviors occurred at a heightened rate of: drinking coffee 19.3 times per session; consuming candy 5.3 times per session; and going outside 13.3 times per session. When treatment was introduced there was an immediate reduction in both candy (1.2 times per session), and coffee consumption (2.7 times per session); while water consumption improved dramatically; increasing to a mean of 21.5 times per session. Going outside showed a variable change but the overall increase was not significant increasing to 17.2 times per session.

Operant behavior may eventually fade off and possibly even stop if reinforcement is discontinued. This is an important concept to the clinical side of behavior because the problem behavior will eventually decrease in frequency, duration, and intensity. It is important for individuals running extinction to know that the process of the extinction of a problem behavior may have side effects which include the response burst, the response variation, aggression, emotional behavior, and spontaneous recovery (Vollmer & Athens, 2011).

When it comes to inspiring behavioral changes positive reinforcement is more effective than punishment in terms of changing the behavior in the long term. How effectively positive reinforcement affects behavioral changes is closely tied to how behavioral changes are incentivized and rewards bestowed. The case is similar for the application of negative reinforcement. However, rewards and punishments must significantly affect a person’s current situation--for better or worse--in order to inspire change. Let’s look at how positive reinforcement typically results in long-term behavioral change more effectively than punishment overall.

The visual representation above displays an intervention procedure used to decrease Tommy's throwing behavior by implementing extinction and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA). Baseline data was recorded for five consecutive days before the intervention phase was implemented. The baseline data shows a high level in frequency of throwing behavior. Once baseline was stable, the intervention phase was implemented and recorded for ten consecutive days. Extinction and DRA were implemented as part of the intervention procedure. The data path during intervention displayed a decreasing trend with low variability. The use of a A-B design can have a disadvantage as it does not establish a functional relation that confirms

Behavioral contrast has been defined as an inverse relationship between rates of responding in one setting and the conditions of reinforcement in another setting (McSweeney & Weatherly, 1998). Many varieties of contrast have been reported in the empirical literature. Contrast can be classified into two primary categories; positive and negative contrast." (Hayes, 2005, par. 1)

In applied behavior analysis behaviorists use techniques such as functional behavior assessment (FBA), to create functionally-based interventions that target maladaptive behavior. The goal of an FBA is to identify the conditions that predict behavior and the consequences that maintain behavior (Carr et al., 2002). If the link between antecedent, behavior, and consequence can be established, it will be possible to alter a behavior by changing its predictive stimuli and maintaining consequences (Bender, 2015). After forming this link by collecting data, a behavior intervention plan (BIP) will be created to diminish problem behavior (Bender, 2015). This BIP must target the function of the behavior and

Behaviorism has been credited with providing clear predictions that can be scientifically tested and yield explanations that can be supported by evidence. For instance, in the application of Applied Behavioral Analysis in improving clients’ behaviors, the functions of individuals problematic behaviors can be evaluated and modified using behavior change principles including reinforcement. Similarly, behaviorism emphasizes the objective measurement of behaviors through providing clear and conceptual definitions, and its therapy is applicable to real life situations as in the case of anxiety. Conversely, studies incorporated into behaviorism allow for appropriate comparisons between animals and humans as in the Case of Watson’s, Thorndike’s and Pavlov’s studies respectively.