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  Positive
Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement
is an important term to understand when you are working with the behavior
of students. “Positive” in this case means that something
is presented or given to the student (rather than something
is subtracted from the student). “Reinforcement”
means that what is presented has the effect of increasing a
behavior (rather than decreasing a behavior). The behavior that the
reinforcement is increasing may be desirable or undesirable behavior.
In either case it is increasing the behavior.
The concept of positive reinforcement
is important because it addresses the issue of behavior deficits—behaviors
that are expected but not exhibited. A behavior deficit implies that
the student needs to learn a skill to correct the deficit (i.e., he
needs to develop a particular behavior skill that is currently lacking).
Although positive reinforcement simply describes anything that you,
the student’s teacher, or the student’s peers present to
the student that increases his or her particular behavior,
positive reinforcement in this case applies to things that people do
to teach a behavior skill so that the desirable behavior increases.
The focus of positive reinforcement is on teaching (reinforcing) a behavior
that you want the student to increase.
A reinforcement
is a consequence that may occur when you say “good going,”
or when you write “outstanding” on the a student’s
work. However, if you say “good going” when a student exhibits
inappropriate behavior, this, of course, reinforces the inappropriate
behavior. Positive reinforcement is a key concept when you think about
and plan your responses to student behavior.
Positive reinforcement must include three
elements:
- The reinforcement is a consequence and subsequently must
occur after a specific behavior. A behavior needs to be connected
to a reinforcement otherwise it will not reinforce. This
is called a congruent
relationship
between the behavior and the consequence. The consequence is contingent
on the behavior. Note: Although a prompt might be
considered a reinforcement, it is not. A prompt is not a consequence,
but an intervention that helps the student recognize a stimulus and
its consequences before the student responds to the stimulus.
- The reinforcement must be presented. For example,
a reward is presented. If it is not presented the student
does not receive it and therefore it cannot reinforce. (A reward,
however, is not a reinforcement unless it results in increasing the
frequency of a behavior.)
- As a result of presenting the reinforcement, the intended
behavior needs to increase in the future within similar conditions.
If the reinforcement does not increase the specific behavior in the
future, it is not reinforcing that behavior. “Similar conditions”
is important as the conditions can have a significant influence
on student behavior.
Students need positive reinforcement to
improve their behaviors. If one of the three elements is not present,
the desired behavior is not likely to occur, and positive reinforcement
is not happening. If the reinforcement meets the three criteria above,
then positive reinforcement is occurring. This is especially important
when teachers and team members are evaluating the effectiveness of a
behavior intervention
program.
The following are considerations when
using reinforcement:
- Reinforcements often are delivered according to a schedule.
When a student is first learning a behavior, the schedule is often
dense, usually delivered each time the behavior occurs. As the behavior
begins to occur more regularly under the same stimulus conditions,
the reinforcement should be delivered less often or less predictably.
- A reinforcement can be anything—a colored paper clip,
a hug, or money. However, these things may not necessarily
be positive reinforcements, as a reinforcement must increase a specific
behavior.
- As a reinforcement is a consequence; it needs to follow
a specific behavior.
- If possible, when the reinforcement is an activity or something
concrete, it should be available only during those times that the
specific desired behavior has occurred.
- A reinforcement can lose its effectiveness if it is overused.
- How do you pick a reinforcement? Whenever possible
let the student choose from several possible reinforcements. Or watch
and learn what the student chooses to do when he has free time and
use that as a reinforcement.
- Use the “Goldilocks rule” when deciding what
and when to use a reinforcement: (“not too big, not
too small”).
- It should be reinforcing to the student, not you, the teacher,
or another student. Otherwise, it is less likely to work.
- Both appropriate and inappropriate behaviors can be strengthened
by reinforcement.
Information in this lesson is used with permission from:
Burke, J. C. (1992). Decreasing classroom behavior problems:
Practical guidelines for teachers. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group,
Inc.
Collins, M. M., & Fontenelle, D. H. (1982). Changing
student behaviors: A positive approach. Cambridge, MA: Schenkman Publishing
Company, Inc.
Walden, E. L., & Thompson, S. A. (1981). A review
of some alternative approaches to drug management of hyperactivity in
children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 14, 213-217.
Zirpoli, T. J., & Melloy, K. J. (1993). Behavior management:
Applications for teachers and parents. New York: MacMillan Publishing
Company.
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