Reinforcements

Clinician’s Basic Task Create communication behaviors Increase communication behaviors Both

Clinician’s Second Task Decrease communication behaviors

Reinforcement The most important part of the environmental contingency Is a selection process Reinforcing consequences select and strengthen behaviors of individuals

Definitions Reinforcement –a process of selecting and strengthening individual’s behaviors under specified stimulus conditions –a process of arranging events such that certain behaviors are more likely in the future –Is the process of Operant Conditioning –Is abstract

Definitions Reinforcers –are events and objects that follow behaviors and increase their frequency –Is concrete

Definitions Reinforce –to strengthen and increase

Definitions Consequences –generated by behaviors shape the future course of those behaviors –Determine whether a behavior will be initially learned if it is learned, whether it will be maintained over time the strength and frequency of maintained behaviors

Positive Reinforcers Those events that, when made contingent upon a response, increase the future probability of that response Events that follow a response and thereby increase its frequency It must follow a response immediately –clinician’s reaction to client’s behavior, but it has to have an impact on increasing the respons –it is not determined beforehand, only after it has proven that it has positive effects can it be named as a reinforcer –each client may have different reinforcers –not all reinforcers will reinforce the client’s behavior all the time

Types of Positive Reinforcers Primary or unconditioned Secondary or conditioned

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers social reinforcers conditioned generalized reinforcers informative feedback high-probability behaviors

Primary or Unconditioned Reinforcers their effects do not depend on past experiences, they are not learned they promote biological survival

Primary or Unconditioned Reinforcers Food - Issues –may be effective only if people are deprived of it and motivated for it –may not promote generalization or maintenance –is susceptible to satiation effect –can be messy –clients and parents may object to food use in the clinic –can interrupt treatment session sequence –costs money

Secondary or Conditioned Reinforcers Select and strengthen behaviors because of past conditioning are social and cultural Are important for clinicians, because we use a lot of reinforcements consisting of verbal responses –verbal praise

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers Social Reinforcers –Examples: verbal praise, attention, touch, eye contact, facial expressions –Should always be used with other reinforcers –Strengths not susceptible to satiation more natural can help fade out primary reinforcers –Weaknesses least effective with Cx with verbal behavior probs.

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers Conditioned Generalized Reinforcers –They are conditioned because they depend on past experiences to be effective –they are generalized because they are effective in a wide range of situations

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers Conditioned Generalized Reinforcers Examples –money –tokens- checks on papers marbles stickers, points, tokens just for the sake of it is not useful, use to exchange for something else tokens are not the reinforcer …it is what they get with the tokens good for all communication disorders

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers Conditioned Generalized Reinforcers Strengths –effects do not depend on deprivation –easy to administer –do not interrupt –tokens useful with valuable reinforcer Weaknesses –variety of backup reinforcers must be available –when tokens are withdrawn behaviors might decline suddenly, so always give social reinforcers

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers Informative Feedback giving client information regarding a client’s performance examples: verbal, mechanical, computerized, biofeedback (physiological functions measured by EMG, GSR, EEG procedures)

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers Informative Feedback Strengths –mechanical is objective and instantaneous Weaknesses –lack of controlled and replicated data on their long-term effectiveness

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers High Probability Behaviors A reinforcer that is an opportunity to engage in some type of activity, client’s own behavior other than the targeted behavior Premack principle states that a behavior of high probability can reinforce a behavior of low probability

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers High Probability Behaviors Behaviors targeted for treatment are low probability The client presents other behaviors which are high probability. These can be made contingent upon clinical targets Examples: coloring books, watching tv, playing with specific toys, playing with other children

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers High Probability Behaviors Strengths –are powerful reinforcers as long as they are made contingent on the production of target responses –reduce the monotony of sessions

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers High Probability Behaviors Weaknesses –not necessarily possible to make high probability behavior contingent upon target behavior –high probability behaviors are the most time-consuming don’t use during initial stages of therapy use tokens and high probability behaviors as backup reinforcers

Varieties of Secondary Reinforcers High Probability Behaviors Weaknesses –some high probability behaviors are presented either in total or not at all. Allow for a low criterion of correct responses at the beginning so client has opportunity to experience the reinforcement

Multiple Contingencies A combination of verbal and conditioned generalized reinforcers backed up with a variety of reinforcers, including opportunities for high probability behaviors, will be more effective than any one type of reinforcer.

Negative Reinforcers a response removes, reduces, postpones or prevents a stimulus, and as a result a response increases in frequency the events that are removed, reduced, postponed or prevented are described as aversive. A response that terminates, minimizes, or postpones an aversive event is likely to be repeated when the same or similar aversive event presents itself in the future.

Schedules of Reinforcement a relation between –the number of responses and the amount of reinforcement –responses and the time duration between the delivery of reinforcers. Specifies –how many responses will be required before giving a reinforcer –when the reinforcer will be given

Schedules of Reinforcement Categories –Continous Schedule –Intermittent Schedule

Continous Schedule Every response is reinforced Reinforce only correct responses, use response reducing consequences with incorrect responses. Social reinforces are good, and tokens when used with a backup reinforcer such as high probability behaviors.

Continous Schedule Strengths –helps generate a high rate of response Weakness –when continous reinforcement is not available, target behavior may die out, extinction. Provide with intermittent schedule later on in sessions

Intermittent Schedule Some responses are not reinforced Types –Fixed ratio schedule - dependent on the number of responses –Variable ration schedule - dependent on the number of responses –Fixed interval schedule- dependent on the time interval between reinforcers –Variable interval schedule - dependent on the time interval between reinforcers

Intermittent Schedule Fixed ratio schedule a predetermined number of responses is required before a reinforcer is delivered. FR5 = fixed ration of five = reinforce every fifth correct response postreinforcement pause - rest period when ratio completed

Intermittent Schedule Variable Ratio Schedules (VR) More powerful than the fixed the number of responses required for reinforcement varies from occasion to ocassion They are based on an average number of responses

Intermittent Schedule Variable Ratio Schedules (VR) VR20 = variable ratio of 20 = an average of 20 responses are made before reinforcement, but the actual number of responses needed to receive the reinforcer is varied around 20. Cx doesn’t know when they are getting the reinforcement no postreinforcement pause used

Intermittent Schedule Fixed Interval Schedule opportunity to earn a reinforcer is made available after the passage of a fixed duration of time FI5 = fixed interval of 5 minutes = reinforcer given for the first response made 5 minutes after the previous reinforced response

Intermittent Schedule Fixed Interval Schedule postreinforcement pause is longer the longer the FI may not be as effective in clinic

Intermittent Schedule Variable Interval Schedules The time interval between reinforced responses is allowed to vary around an average VI5 = 5 minutes schedule = on the average the first resonse made 5 minutes after the last reinforcement is reinforced.