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Lesson 1: Roots in Applied Behavior Analysis

Reinforcement

Reinforcement is a relationship between a behavior and the consequence. Reinforcement always makes the behavior increase. There are two types of reinforcement: positive and negative. Something is considered positive when something is added in the environment and the effect on the behavior is increased. For example, I might praise a child for completing his work on time. Over time, I notice that the more I praise the child, the more the behavior of completing his work on time occurs. I have found that my praise is positively reinforcing for the student. Watch the following video below illustrating positive reinforcement:

Video 1.6. Length: 00:04:51, Positive vs Negative Reinfocement Transcript
No transcript available.

In the case of negative reinforcement, something is taken away that makes the behavior increase. This usually occurs when one takes away something aversive or unpleasant. For example, when I take away home work for a child who is off task, I’ll likely see an increase in the off-task behavior (something I don’t want to see). Another example is taking away the obnoxious sound of the seatbelt bell in the car when you’ve finally buckled up. You’re likely to buckle your seat belt faster and more often because you want that sound to stop (be taken away).

It’s important to remember that reinforcement can only be defined by the effect it has on behavior. What you and I find reinforcing may be very different. The only way to see if it is reinforcing is to watch the behavior. The individual variation in what one finds reinforcing makes it critical that the teacher know what the student likes and does not like. One way to do this is through a reinforcer preference survey. The survey helps identify reinforcers by watching the student’s behavior when something is presented to them. One thing that I learned the hard way was that my verbal praise was not always reinforcing to some children. When I was working as a substitute teacher, I worked one day in a class of adolescent boys who were labeled as having behavioral issues. I automatically assumed that a great big, loud "GREAT JOB!" was going to make the student work harder. I quickly learned that the last thing the teenager wanted was my approval, much less very publicly.

Self-Check Activity

Match the following examples to either Positive (A) or Negative Reinforcement (B).
  • A. Negative Reinforcement
  • B. Positive Reinforcement

 

Solution
Negative Reinforcement
Whenever he whines, Sammy doesn't have to clean dishes. Mom doesn't ask him to do the dishes anymore
As I drive home, it begins to rain, so I turn on my windshield wiper.
Zander loves microwaved soup. But, since he burned himself, he now wears oven mitts every time he takes the bowl out of the microwave.
My alarm clock makes an obnoxious noise that hurts my ears. Every morning, I hit the off button to stop the noise.
Positive Reinforcement
Every time the paper boy delivers the paper to my doorstep instead of throwing it on a wet yard, I give him a dollar. It's always at my door.
I get a bonus for removing deficiencies in teacher IEPs. I really work at this now.
Every 2 weeks, I get a paycheck, and I continue to go to work.
Marcus gives his daughter a high five every time she hits a ball. She gets better all of the time.
June gets $5 every time she cleans a bathroom. She loves cleaning now!

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