Reinforcement is the cornerstone of behavior analysis. How frequently, or not frequently, reinforcement is delivered has a large impact on how quickly a person will respond. This is the case for all behavior. For example, someone who sells cars may be paid on a fixed interval schedule (every two weeks regardless of how many cars are sold) or fixed ratio schedule (100 dollars for every car sold). As you can imagine, based on the pay schedule, the response rate of car selling by the individual who is paid every two weeks, regardless of the number of cars, is likely to be much lower than that of the individual who is paid per car sold. This type of reinforcement schedule and rate of responding translates the same when you may be teaching a client a skill. Choosing the appropriate reinforcement schedule allows us to support our clients in achieving those successes.
Instructions
For this assignment, use the Reinforcement Schedules Template [DOCX] to write a paper that includes the following:
- Write a short introduction.
- Identify the reinforcement schedule for each example presented. (Enter the information into the table.)
- Explain how each of the four schedules work to evoke a behavior and the type of responding that results.
- Describe how you would use what you have learned about response rates and reinforcement schedules to evoke a behavior in your personal or professional life.
- Write a short conclusion.
Assignment Requirements
Your assignment should meet the following requirements:
- Written communication: Should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
- APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to current APA style guidelines. Review Evidence and APALinks to an external site. for more information on how to cite your sources.
- Resources: 2–3 scholarly or professional resources.
- Length: 2–3 double-spaced pages, excluding the title page and reference page.
Refer to the MS in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Research GuideLinks to an external site. for help finding resources.
Refer to the Reinforcement Schedules rubric to ensure you understand the grading criteria for this assignment.