Reinforcement Strategies in Behavior Modification

1. Schedules of Reinforcement 11/11/11

2. Reinforcement/Punishment Matrix

3. Reinforcement Schedules • Intermittent Reinforcement: A type of reinforcement schedule by which some, but not all, correct responses are reinforced. • Intermittent reinforcement is the most effective way to maintain a desired behavior that has already been learned.

4. Continuous Reinforcement • Continuous Reinforcement: A schedule of reinforcement that rewards every correct response given. • Example: A vending machine. • What are other examples?

5. Schedules of Intermittent Reinforcement • Interval schedule: rewards subjects after a certain time interval. • Ratio schedule: rewards subjects after a certain number of responses. • There are 4 types of intermittent reinforcement: • Fixed Interval Schedule (FI) • Variable Interval Schedule (VI) • Fixed Ratio Schedule (FR) • Variable Ratio Schedule (VR)

6. Interval Schedules • Fixed Interval Schedule (FI): • A schedule that a rewards a learner only for the first correct response after some defined period of time. • Example: B.F. Skinner put rats in a box with a lever connected to a feeder. It only provided a reinforcement after 60 seconds. The rats quickly learned that it didn’t matter how early or often it pushed the lever, it had to wait a set amount of time. As the set amount of time came to an end, the rats became more active in hitting the lever.

7. Interval Schedules • Variable Interval Schedule (VI): A reinforcement system that rewards a correct response after an unpredictable amount of time. • Example: A pop-quiz

8. Ratio Schedules • Fixed Ratio Schedule (FR): A reinforcement schedule that rewards a response only after a defined number of correct answers. • Example: At Safeway, if you use your Club Card to buy 7 Starbucks coffees, you get the 8th one for free.

9. Ratio Schedules • Variable Ratio Schedule (VR): A reinforcement schedule that rewards an unpredictable number of correct responses. • Example: Buying lottery tickets

10. Number of responses Fixed Ratio 1000 Variable Ratio Fixed Interval 750 Rapid responding near time for reinforcement 500 Variable Interval 250 Steady responding 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Time (minutes) Schedules of Reinforcement Intermittent Reinforcement Schedules- Skinner’s laboratory pigeons produced these responses patterns to each of four reinforcement schedules For people, as for pigeons, research linked to number of responses (ratio) produces a higher response rate than reinforcement linked to time elapsed (interval).

11. Primary and Secondary reinforcement • Primary reinforcement: something that is naturally reinforcing: food, warmth, water… • Secondary reinforcement: something you have learned is a reward because it is paired with a primary reinforcement in the long run: good grades.

12. Two Important Theories Token Economy: A therapeutic method based on operant conditioning that where individuals are rewarded with tokens, which act as a secondary reinforcer. The tokens can be redeemed for a variety of rewards. Premack Principle: The idea that a more preferred activity can be used to reinforce a less-preferred activity.

13. Operant and Classical Conditioning