Are You Sure That Reward Is Reinforcing?

Sure, rewards sound great, but will that reward actually increase the likelihood that the desirable behavior will occur again?

Reinforcers, by definition, are only reinforcing if they increase the probability that a behavior will occur.

Often times, parents and teachers will attempt to reinforce a child’s behavior, unsuccessfully, with a reward. While I must applaud the attempt, it’s important that the adult determine whether that reward is, in fact, reinforcing.

Here are a few pointers on how to determine the reinforcing affect of a reward:

1. Ask - This method is simple, though not entirely foolproof. It’s important to frequently ask what your child prefers, as preferences change often. An identified reinforcer on Monday may not function as a reinforcer on Friday.
2. Observe - Watching what activities your child engages with most often and for the longest duration can provide valuable information about what activities or events may be used as potential reinforcers.
3. Preference Assessment - Present your child with several samples of potential reinforcers and note which ones are preferred.
4. Force a Choice - Have your child select potential reinforcers from a “menu.” This allows your child to choose his reinforcer from a limited number of options.
5. Try and See - Trying something out and seeing if it works is the only way to determine whether a potential reinforcer will actually serve as a reinforcer. When selecting potential reinforcers, remember to keep your child’s age, interest level, and activity level in mind.

Why do “reinforcers” stop being reinforcing? There are a few variables that can affect the effectiveness of a reinforcer:

1. History of Reinforcement - How long has a behavior resulted in reinforcement?
2. Timing - Is reinforcement delivered immediately following the desirable behavior, or does your child have to wait? Is the wait time appropriate?
3. Consistency - Is your child reinforced each time he engages in a specific behavior? Does the schedule of reinforcement constantly change?
4. Amount of Reinforcement - Is the amount of reinforcement proportional to the effort involved in making the response? In other words, is the payoff worth the effort?
5. Quality - How cool is that reinforcer compared to other similar reinforcers?
6. Concurrent Schedules - Are you targeting more than one behavior, but with different reinforcement schedules? The behavior that is reinforced more frequently typically increases more than the behavior that is reinforced less frequently.
7. Novelty - How new and exciting is the reinforcer? Has your child had access to it in the past?
8. Deprivation - Has your child experienced some level of deprivation prior to delivery of the reinforcer? This must occur for reinforcement to be effective. A good, basic example: a snack is not as reinforcing following a full meal as it is just prior to a meal. The same goes for access to items and activities. If you have become satiated with an item or activity, that item or activity will not function as a reinforcer.

Happy Reinforcing!