Understanding Differential Reinforcement: Strategies to Manage Behavior

1. Reinforcement: Part 2 Week 6: Increasing and Decreasing Behavior

2. Differential Reinforcement • Reinforcing one response class while withholding reinforcement from another • Popularity & Restrictiveness • Extinction is a component of D.R. • Two concurrent operants on separate schedules of reinforcement

3. DRI & DRA • DRI: Reinforce a behavior that cannot occur at the same time as the target behavior to be reduced. • E.g. Inappropriate verbalizations • DRA: Reinforce a behavior that is different in topography but serves the same function • Could be compatible! • E.g. Talking out

4. Your turn • Write down one example of how: • Differential Negative Reinforcement may be used for: • Incompatible behavior • Alternative Behavior

5. Guidelines for using DRI/DRA • Select behavior already in learner’s repetoire • Occurring often enough to contact contingencies • Equal or lesser effort compared to target behavior • Likely to be reinforced naturally • Consistency in reinforcer/extinction delivery • 100% integrity not required, but better.

6. DRO (other or “zero”) • Providing reinforcement for no responding • Interval DRO: • Fixed: Your turn • Variable: Your Turn • Momentary DRO: • Fixed: Your Turn • Variable: Your Turn

7. Guidelines for Using DRO • Recognize limitations of DRO • Set intervals that assure frequent reinforcement • Watch out for accidental reinforcement of other negative behavior • Gradually increase DRO Interval • Constant duration, proportionally, learners performance • Generalize application to Other: Times, settings, practitioners, etc.

8. DRL • Reinforcement for lower rates of behavior • Full session DRL: Really a VI Schedule (based on all full session). • Use if zero levels are appropriate • Interval DRL: Divide session into equal intervals and provide R+ • Use if full session will not provide sufficient R+ Rate • Spaced-Responding DRL: Set time limit between intervals (i.e. increasing IRT). • Use if you want to maintain the behavior but at a lower rate

9. Guidelines for using DRL • Recognize limitations • Choose most appropriate procedures • Use Baseline data to guide Initial IRT Limits • Gradually Thin the DRL schedule • Provide feedback to the learner

10. Behavior Analytic Problem-Solving Model Beginning to pull it all together

11. Components • Contextual Variables: • Behavior occurs in some contexts but not others • Antecedent Stimuli: Environmental Triggers • Individual Mediators: Internal Triggers • UMO & CMO • Individual Behavior Deficits: • Try to reframe all behavior this way (your turn) • Behavior: • Not enough R+ or too much response effort • Consequences: • Consider function (careful of response topography and response class).