Lecture Notes on Reinforcement

Introduction to Reinforcement

• Reinforcement is crucial for understanding behavior and learning.
• It involves strengthening and maintaining behavior, making behaviors stick through learning.
• Reinforcement has been validated by over 100 years of research.

Definition and Mechanism

• Reinforcement: Addition or subtraction of a stimulus immediately after a behavior.
• Reinforcement increases the future probability of the behavior.
• Not necessarily a reward; can be unnoticed stimuli.
• Key aspect: change in probability of behavior; if unchanged, reinforcement failed.

Examples of Reinforcement

• Positive Example: Person in blue says hi, person in orange responds; if blue says hi more often, reinforcement occurred.
• Negative Example: Blue says can't talk, orange leaves; if blue uses this phrase more to avoid conversation, it's reinforced.

Types of Reinforcement

• Positive Reinforcement: Behavior strengthened by adding a stimulus.
• Negative Reinforcement: Behavior strengthened by subtracting a stimulus.
• Reinforcement is about increasing future probability, not necessarily a moral judgment (good or bad).

Importance of Stimulus Change

• Addition or subtraction of stimuli can be either positive or negative.
• A successful reinforcement results in an increased probability of behavior.

Complexities in Identifying Reinforcers

• Importance of correctly identifying actual reinforcers.
• Misidentified reinforcers can reinforce undesired behaviors.

Examples of Behavioral Scenarios

• Billy's Example: Picking up socks more often when thanked is reinforcement.
• Classroom Example: Student walking; teacher sends to office; future increase in behavior indicates reinforcement.

Reinforcement in Daily Life

• Avoidance behaviors (e.g., avoiding social gatherings) can be negatively reinforced.
• Reinforcement underpins regular behaviors; understanding it can lead to behavior change.

Strategies for Behavior Change

• Ensure desired behaviors are reinforced more than undesired behaviors.
• A behavior only strengthens with appropriate reinforcement.

Using Reinforcement Effectively

• Define behaviors operationally.
• Identify reinforcers through preferences, values, interviews, and observations.
• Engage in small, valuable behaviors for natural reinforcement.

Techniques in Behavior Change

• Start Small: Gradually increase behavior to build reinforcement.
• Set Small Goals: Ensure behavior is easily achievable for initial reinforcement.
• Remove Problem Behaviors: Decrease their reinforcement potential.

DISC Rules for Reinforcement

• Deprivation: Reinforcer should be scarce before behavior.
• Immediacy: Reinforcement should follow behavior swiftly, ideally within 30 seconds.
• Size: Match the reinforcement size to the behavior.
• Contingency: Reinforcement should depend on the behavior.

Classes of Reinforcement: "Everybody Eats"

• Escape: Avoidance or delay from a behavior.
• Attention: Human interaction.
• Tangible: Physical rewards, though less common.
• Sensory: Feelings or sensory experiences as reinforcement.

Developing an Intervention Plan

• Project Activity 6: Develop an intervention plan using reinforcement techniques.
• Intervention Strategies: Choose prompts, behavioral momentum, functional equivalence, negative reinforcement, and public posting.

Example Strategies

• Prompts: Use visual cues to remind behavior.
• Behavioral Momentum: Start with easy tasks to build towards difficult ones.
• Functional Equivalence: Swap problem behaviors with desired behaviors which provide similar reinforcement.
• Negative Reinforcement: Avoidance of undesired outcomes by engaging in desired behaviors.
• Public Posting: Increase accountability by making behavior change public.

Summary

• Reinforcement is a fundamental concept in behavior and learning.
• Proper identification and use of reinforcers are critical for behavior change.
• Implementing structured plans with specific reinforcement strategies is key for successful behavior modification.