What is reinforcement?
What is reinforcement?
Reinforcement is something that happens after a behaviour, that increases the future occurrence of the behaviour. In short, reinforcement strengthens behaviour!
For example…
- When Harry says “cookie,” his Mom gives him a delicious cookie to eat. In the future, Harry says “cookie” a lot more often.
- When Maria smiles at her teacher, her teacher gives her a high five and talks to her. In the future, Maria smiles at her teacher more often.
- When Luba asks for a break, her support worker lets her take a short break from her math activity. In the future, Luba appropriately asks for a break more often.
- When Jing makes his bed in the morning, his dad gives him a $1 allowance. Jing makes his bed almost every morning now.
- When Radin is playing a game and screams really loud, his friend lets him go first. Now Radin screams more often when playing board games with his friend.
As you can see, reinforcement works the same for both desired and problematic behaviours.
How Come Negative Reinforcement Sounds So Bad…
The terms “positive” and “negative” reinforcement are often misconstrued in the media and made to sound like “negative” is a bad thing. However, when it comes to reinforcement, positive and negative do not mean good or bad.
- Positive reinforcement means that the person was given something after the behaviour, then the behaviour increased in the future.
- For example, when Harry says “cookie,” his Mom gives him a delicious cookie to eat. In the future, Harry says “cookie” a lot more often.
- Positive = giving Harry a cookie
- For example, when Harry says “cookie,” his Mom gives him a delicious cookie to eat. In the future, Harry says “cookie” a lot more often.
- Negative reinforcement means something was taken away after the behaviour, then the behaviour increased in the future.
- For example, when Luba asks for a break, her support worker lets her take a short break from math. In the future, Luba appropriately asks for a break more often
- Negative = taking away math work
- For example, when Luba asks for a break, her support worker lets her take a short break from math. In the future, Luba appropriately asks for a break more often
Punishment is something that happens after a behaviour, that decreases the future occurrence of the behaviour.
- For example, when Andy talks to his boss in the morning before coffee time, Andy’s boss yells at him. Over time, Andy talks to his boss in the morning less and less.
Punishment can be broken down into positive and negative types too.
- Positive punishment means that the person was given something aversive after the behaviour, then the behaviour decreased in the future.
- For example, when [John] stomps his foot at school, his teacher gives him extra homework. Over time, John’s stomping decreases in the classroom.
- Negative punishment means that something desired was taken away after the behaviour, then the behaviour decreased in the future.
- For example, when Sydney hits her brother, her phone is taken away for one day. In the future, Sydney hits her brother less frequently.
Is reinforcement the same as bribery?
Reinforcement and bribery are not the same thing! As we learned above, reinforcement is something that occurs after a behaviour and increases the frequency of a behaviour in the future. It is perfectly alright to let someone know what they will receive after a behaviour, in order to motivate them.
For example, an employer posts a sign letting their retail employees know that if they increase their sales by 5%, then they will get a $100 bonus at the end of the week. An employee increases their sales that week and after receiving this bonus, the employee continues to sell more products over time. Their selling behaviour has been reinforced!
Bribery occurs when someone offers something (money, favours, candy, etc.) before making a request, in order to influence someone’s judgment or conduct. For example, a parent tells their child they have candy for them, but only if the child does all their chores. This does not necessitate that the child will complete more chores in the future. Further, the offered bribe is not always held up, so the child may not even receive candy after completing chores.
Why is it important to use reinforcement?
We are all reinforced every day, for a number of different behaviours we engage in! It is a huge part of how we grow and learn new skills. When we are teaching those with special needs, we need to ensure that we have strong reinforcers available to strengthen positive behaviours and new skills.
How can I use reinforcement with my child?
First, consider what type of things your child loves. There are so many different types of reinforcers you can use, but here are some ideas:
Some things to remember:
- A reinforcer must be given after your child engages in the desired behaviour.
- When teaching new skills or behaviours, reinforce every time and then slowly fade out how much and how often you are reinforcing the behaviour.
- Pair all reinforcers with social praise.
- Ensure your child does not have free access to the item or activity, or else it will be much less valuable to them.
- A break from work (negative reinforcement) can be a very valuable reinforcer to many kids.
- Reinforcers can change by the week, day, hour, or minute – make sure to change things up to ensure it is something your child truly values!
Reach out to your FCPG consultant if you’d like to learn more about how you can use reinforcement to strengthen your child’s behaviours!