Episode 2: Click Here for Reinforcement

Show Notes:

Discussion

Reinforcement is always flowing and influencing our behaviors.

Why? All species are born to behave for outcomes!

Being able to identify potential reinforcers in varying contexts is a helpful skill for clear and effective teaching and learning. 

Examples relative to humans and animals are discussed.

Reinforcement is necessary to maintain a behavior. The concept of “functional” or “real-life” reinforcers is discussed.

Look for the reinforcers your learner is likely to use their behavior to access!

Definitions

Reinforcement: Strengthening the future probability of a behavior through a consequence or outcome following the behavior.

Reinforcers: The specific event that follows a behavior that results in that behavior occurring again.

Cues: The antecedent (something before the behavior in time) that signals the availability of a reinforcer if the learner performs a certain behavior.

Criteria (Criteria for Reinforcement): This is the goal behavior that results in a reinforcer, usually used in talking about a teaching plan.

Social Reinforcer: Reinforcer that takes the form of interacting with other people. Examples include smiling, talking to each other, laughing, high fives, hugs, eye contact.

Conditioned Reinforcer: Reinforcer that has acquired its reinforcing properties by preceding a primary reinforcer.

Primary reinforcer: An event or stimulus that functions as a reinforcer without learning.  Examples include food, water, warmth.

Functional reinforcer, natural reinforcer, “real-life” reinforcer: A reinforcing consequence following a behavior that falls within the realm of regular routines, activities, interactions, or expectations. 

Contrived reinforcer:  A more deliberate reinforcer one might deliver during the process of reinforcing/teaching a behavior.

Supplemental reading on the perspective of dogs:

Being a Dog: Following the Dog Into the World of Smell, by Alexandra Horowitz
Inside a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know, by Alexandra Horowitz

Helpful Behavior Worksheets from Dr. Susan Friedman and BehaviorWorks: http://www.behaviorworks.org/htm/downloads_worksheets.html

Episode 1: Setting up for Success

Show Notes:

Discussion 

Three considerations regarding setting a learner up for success:

  1. Why set up for success?  Setting the learner up to do desired behaviors allows them to contact a reinforcement history for those behaviors (instead of different behaviors).
  2. Define what “success” in a specific context looks like using actionable and measurable behaviors. 
  3. When is the behavior likely to happen and when is it likely to not happen?

We discuss a few simple human and animal examples.

Note: Sara wanted to add that you can use simulations or training to build a reinforcement history for “sharing” or “taking turns” for any learner, even those without verbal communication skills.  

Definitions
Reinforcement: Strengthening the future probability of a behavior through a consequence or outcome following the behavior.

Antecedent: Any part of the environment that is in place or occurs before the behavior.

Environment: Anything or anyone, inside or outside of the learner, that can influence their behavior.

Reinforcement history: All the reinforcers that have affected a person’s behavior up to the present. (http://www.scienceofbehavior.com/lms/mod/glossary/view.php)

Reinforcers: The specific event that follows a behavior that results in that behavior occurring again.

Simulations: Setting up a scenario that is similar to an expected future scenario, with the goal of shaping desired behaviors and establishing positive associations. This can involve starting with lower criteria to bring out desired behaviors, and positively reinforcing them. 

Shaping: Reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior.

Coming next week: 
Behaviors Are Built and Maintained by Reinforcement

Contact Info
Laura Perkins
Website: lauraperkinsanimalbehavior.com
Email: lauraperkinsanimalbehavior@gmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/LauraPerkinsAnimalBehavior
Instagram: instagram.com/lauraperkinsanimalbehavior

Sara Crockett
Email: saracrockettckbc@gmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ContingentOnKindness
Instagram: instagram.com/contingentonkindness