Reinforcement Schedules & Procedures Flashcards

A 'momentary DRO' delivers reinforcement if the problem behavior is absent at a specific moment in time rather than throughout an entire interval. Compared to whole-interval DRO, momentary DRO is:

Answer: Less stringent because the behavior could occur during the interval and still earn reinforcement

Momentary DRO only samples behavior at the end of the interval, so problem behavior occurring earlier in the interval can still result in reinforcement if it has stopped by the observation moment.

The matching law predicts that when two concurrent schedules are available, an organism will allocate responses in proportion to the relative rate of:

Answer: Reinforcement

The matching law states that the proportion of responses allocated to each alternative will match the proportion of reinforcements obtained from that alternative.

During extinction after CRF training, a learner quickly stops responding. During extinction after VR training, responding declines slowly. This difference reflects:

Answer: The partial reinforcement extinction effect

The partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE) describes how intermittent reinforcement histories produce far greater resistance to extinction than continuous reinforcement histories.

A BCBA uses a DRI procedure to reduce aggression by reinforcing a specific behavior that physically cannot occur at the same time as aggression (e.g., hands folded in lap). What does DRI stand for?

Answer: Differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior

DRI reinforces a response that is topographically incompatible with the problem behavior, so both cannot physically occur simultaneously.

Which schedule is most appropriate for initially establishing a new skill in a child with autism?

Answer: Continuous reinforcement (CRF)

CRF reinforces every correct response, maximizing the clarity of the response-reinforcer contingency and accelerating acquisition of new skills.

In a fixed interval schedule, the pattern of behavior that typically develops — slow at first, accelerating as the interval end approaches — is called a(n):

Answer: Scallop pattern

The FI scallop is the characteristic cumulative record pattern where responding is slow after reinforcement and accelerates as the interval nears its end.

A BCBA shifts a learner from a dense token economy (token after each response) to one where tokens are given only after every 10 correct responses. Responding temporarily deteriorates. The BCBA should:

Answer: Return to a denser schedule and thin more gradually

When ratio strain occurs after thinning too fast, the recommended approach is to revert to a denser schedule and increase the ratio requirement more slowly in smaller steps.