RBT Reinforcement Strategies 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A child earns a sticker for every 5 math problems completed. Which schedule of reinforcement is this?

Fixed ratio (FR5) (Correct answer)
Variable ratio (VR5)
Fixed interval (FI5)
Variable interval (VI5)

Correct answer: Fixed ratio (FR5)

A fixed ratio schedule delivers reinforcement after a set number of responses. In this case, every 5 problems completed earns a sticker, which is an FR5 schedule.

Ratio schedules of reinforcement are based on the number of responses emitted. Fixed ratio (FR) schedules deliver reinforcement after a constant, predetermined number of responses. An FR5 schedule means every 5th response earns the reinforcer — no more, no less. Fixed ratio schedules produce high, steady rates of responding with a characteristic 'post-reinforcement pause' — a brief pause after each reinforcer is delivered before responding resumes. This pause occurs because the individual knows they just completed the requirement and must start over to earn the next reinforcer. FR1 (continuous reinforcement) is the simplest FR schedule, where every response is reinforced. This is used at the beginning of skill acquisition. As skills develop, the ratio is gradually increased (FR2, FR3, FR5) to build behavioral persistence and reduce reinforcer satiation. Fixed ratio schedules are easy to implement and explain, making them practical in educational and skill acquisition contexts. RBTs should track response counts accurately when implementing FR schedules to ensure consistent delivery of reinforcement.

Question 2: Which schedule of reinforcement is associated with the HIGHEST resistance to extinction and the most persistent responding?

Fixed ratio
Fixed interval
Variable ratio (Correct answer)
Continuous reinforcement

Correct answer: Variable ratio

Variable ratio (VR) schedules produce the highest resistance to extinction. Because the learner cannot predict when reinforcement will occur, they continue responding at high rates even when reinforcement is temporarily unavailable.

Variable ratio (VR) schedules deliver reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses that averages around a given number (e.g., VR10 averages one reinforcer per 10 responses, but the actual number varies). Slot machines are the classic example — you never know which pull will pay out. VR schedules produce the highest response rates and the greatest resistance to extinction of any reinforcement schedule. Because the learner cannot predict when the next reinforcer will come, stopping responding always risks 'missing' the imminent reinforcer. This produces a compelling motivation to keep going. From a clinical standpoint, this is why intermittent (variable) reinforcement schedules are used to maintain behaviors that have been acquired. Thinning a CRF schedule to a variable ratio schedule increases the durability of the behavior and reduces dependence on constant reinforcement — which is necessary for behaviors to persist in natural environments. RBTs should understand that behaviors that have been maintained on VR schedules will be much more resistant to extinction procedures compared to behaviors maintained on continuous reinforcement — which has important implications for behavior reduction programs.

Question 3: An RBT delivers praise every 3 minutes regardless of what the client is doing. Which type of reinforcement schedule is being used?

Fixed ratio
Fixed interval
Fixed time (noncontingent reinforcement) (Correct answer)
Variable interval

Correct answer: Fixed time (noncontingent reinforcement)

A fixed time (FT) schedule delivers a stimulus at regular, predictable time intervals regardless of the client's behavior. When used to reduce problem behavior, this is called noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) — the reinforcer is delivered on a time schedule, not contingent on any response.

The key distinction here is between time-based and behavior-based schedules. Fixed interval (FI) schedules deliver reinforcement for the FIRST response AFTER a fixed time period (behavior-contingent after a time period). Fixed time (FT) schedules deliver a stimulus at regular intervals REGARDLESS of behavior (not behavior-contingent). When a maintaining reinforcer (such as attention) is delivered on an FT schedule independent of behavior, this is noncontingent reinforcement (NCR). NCR is used as an antecedent intervention to reduce the motivating operation for attention-maintained problem behavior — by providing the reinforcer freely, the client is less deprived and therefore less motivated to engage in problem behavior to obtain it. FT/NCR schedules are evidence-based practices for reducing attention- and tangible-maintained problem behavior. The schedule is typically started at a high rate (e.g., every 30 seconds) and gradually thinned as problem behavior decreases. RBTs implementing NCR must be careful not to accidentally deliver the reinforcer contingently — the stimulus should be delivered on the time schedule regardless of whether the client is engaging in appropriate or problem behavior at that moment.

Question 4: What is meant by 'schedule thinning' in the context of reinforcement?

Changing from a continuous reinforcement schedule to a more intermittent schedule as behavior is acquired (Correct answer)
Removing reinforcement entirely once a behavior reaches mastery
Increasing the frequency of reinforcement during difficult tasks
Providing smaller amounts of the reinforcer for each response

Correct answer: Changing from a continuous reinforcement schedule to a more intermittent schedule as behavior is acquired

Schedule thinning involves gradually reducing the density of reinforcement (e.g., moving from CRF to FR2 to VR5) to maintain behavior with less frequent reinforcement, promoting durability and natural environment performance.

Schedule thinning is the systematic process of moving from a dense reinforcement schedule (one that provides frequent reinforcement, such as continuous reinforcement) to a more intermittent schedule (one that provides less frequent reinforcement). This process is typically implemented after a behavior has been acquired. The rationale is that natural environments rarely provide continuous reinforcement. For behaviors to persist outside the training setting, they must be durable under thin reinforcement schedules. Schedule thinning gradually builds this tolerance by incrementally reducing reinforcement frequency in small steps. For example: CRF → FR2 → FR3 → FR5 → VR5 → VR10. Each step provides less reinforcement per response. If behavior deteriorates at any step, the schedule is moved back to a denser level and thinned more gradually. Schedule thinning is a critical but often overlooked step in skill acquisition. RBTs should follow BCBA direction about when and how to thin schedules. Premature thinning (too fast) can cause behavior to break down, while failure to thin leaves behavior dependent on high rates of reinforcement that are not sustainable in natural settings.

Question 5: What is the term for the temporary increase in rate, intensity, or variability of a behavior that occurs at the beginning of extinction?

Behavioral contrast
Extinction burst (Correct answer)
Spontaneous recovery
Generalization gradient

Correct answer: Extinction burst

An extinction burst is the initial increase in behavior when reinforcement is first withheld. It represents the learner's increased attempts to obtain the previously available reinforcer.

An extinction burst is a predictable phenomenon that occurs at the beginning of an extinction procedure. When a behavior that has been previously reinforced stops producing the reinforcer, the organism initially increases the rate, intensity, or variability of the behavior — as if trying harder will eventually produce the reinforcer. From an evolutionary perspective, extinction bursts make sense: a previously reliable food source that suddenly stops producing food might require more vigorous or varied effort to access. The organism tries harder before giving up. In clinical practice, extinction bursts have important implications. RBTs and caregivers must be prepared for the initial worsening of behavior when extinction begins and must maintain the extinction procedure without providing reinforcement during the burst. Providing reinforcement during an extinction burst (giving in because the behavior escalated) teaches the learner that escalation is an effective strategy — creating a more intense and durable behavior. Extinction bursts are one reason extinction is never implemented without careful planning, BCBA oversight, and preparation of all involved parties. The BCBA must inform staff and caregivers about the extinction burst and ensure everyone is prepared to maintain the procedure through it.

Question 6: Which of the following is an example of negative reinforcement?

A child receives a token for sitting quietly
A child is given a break from demands after completing a work task correctly (Correct answer)
A child is sent to time-out for hitting
A child's food item is taken away when they throw it

Correct answer: A child is given a break from demands after completing a work task correctly

Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus (the demand) contingent on a behavior (correct task completion), which increases the likelihood that the behavior will occur again in the future.

Negative reinforcement is frequently misunderstood because the word 'negative' is often associated with punishment. In behavioral terms, 'negative' refers to subtraction — the removal of something from the environment. Reinforcement means the behavior increases in the future. Negative reinforcement = removal of something → behavior increases. In this example: work task completion (behavior) results in a break from demands (removal of aversive demands). If task completion increases in frequency as a result, the removal of demands was negatively reinforcing task completion. Negative reinforcement occurs naturally in everyday life. Taking an aspirin removes a headache (negative reinforcement of aspirin-taking). Putting on a seat belt stops the annoying alarm (negative reinforcement of buckling up). These examples involve the removal of an aversive stimulus contingent on a behavior, which increases the future likelihood of that behavior. In ABA, negative reinforcement is used clinically to reinforce appropriate escape requests or tolerance behaviors. It is also the mechanism that often maintains escape-maintained problem behavior: if problem behavior results in the removal of demands, it has been negatively reinforced. Understanding this helps explain the function of challenging behavior and guides function-based intervention design.

RBT Reinforcement Strategies 2

A child earns a sticker for every 5 math problems completed.
Which schedule of reinforcement is this?