The Science of Reinforcement

Introduction

In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), reinforcement is one of the most crucial elements. It is the process of encouraging a specific behavior by following it with a consequence that increases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated. Reinforcement is divided into two types: positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Both are widely used not only in clinical settings but also in everyday life to establish and strengthen desired behaviors.

In this post, we’ll dive deeper into how reinforcement works in ABA and how you can use it effectively in your day-to-day activities to bring about meaningful change.

Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement involves adding a desirable stimulus after a behavior to increase the chances that the behavior will be repeated. For example, in a clinical setting, a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) might be given praise or a small reward each time they make eye contact with someone. This reinforcement encourages more frequent eye contact, gradually shaping their behavior.

Everyday Application:
You can apply positive reinforcement to foster habits such as exercising more frequently. Suppose you’re trying to build a workout routine but struggle with consistency. You might reward yourself after each workout with something small but enjoyable, like 10 minutes of your favorite TV show or a treat. By associating your workout with a reward, you strengthen the behavior and make it easier to continue the habit.

Negative Reinforcement

Negative reinforcement removes an unpleasant stimulus to increase a desired behavior. While the term "negative" may sound harmful, it simply means taking away something undesirable. For example, a person might take medication to relieve a headache. The removal of the headache encourages them to take the medication again when they experience similar symptoms.

Everyday Application:
Let’s say you want to reduce procrastination. You can apply negative reinforcement by removing something stressful once you complete your work. For example, you might allow yourself to avoid certain responsibilities (like cleaning up) until after you finish an important task. By eliminating the stressful chore as a reward for completing work, you’ll reinforce the positive habit of tackling tasks more efficiently.

Schedules of Reinforcement

Another important concept in ABA is schedules of reinforcement, which determine how and when behaviors are reinforced. The two main types of schedules are continuous reinforcement and partial reinforcement.

• Continuous reinforcement means reinforcing the behavior every time it occurs, which is useful when establishing a new behavior.

• Partial reinforcement, on the other hand, only rewards the behavior occasionally, which helps maintain behaviors over the long term.

Everyday Application:
In the beginning, you might want to reward yourself each time you complete a task, like studying for an hour. However, as the behavior becomes more natural, you can transition to partial reinforcement, rewarding yourself only after every third or fourth successful session. This strategy ensures that the behavior becomes ingrained without needing constant rewards.