Types of Reinforcers Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is a reinforcer?

Any event that strengthens behavior

What is positive reinforcement?

Removes something unpleasant

Is considered punishment

Adds something rewarding following a behavior (correct)

Discourages behavior

What is negative reinforcement?

Is synonymous with punishment

Stimulates a pleasurable response

Adds a painful consequence

Removes something unpleasant (correct)

What are primary reinforcers?

Innately satisfying, unlearned rewards Signup and view all the answers

What are conditioned reinforcers (secondary)?

Satisfying because we have learned to associate them with more basic rewards Signup and view all the answers

What is an immediate reinforcer?

Occurs instantly after a behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is a delayed reinforcer?

Delayed in time for a certain behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is continuous reinforcement?

Reinforcing desired response each time it occurs Signup and view all the answers

What is partial (intermittent) reinforcement?

Responses are sometimes reinforced, sometimes not Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Reinforcers

Reinforcers are events that strengthen behaviors, influencing future actions.

Positive Reinforcement

Involves adding a rewarding stimulus after a behavior to increase its occurrence.
Examples include money and food rewards.

Negative Reinforcement

Involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.
It is different from punishment; for instance, turning off an alarm clock or cleaning a room to avoid nagging.

Primary Reinforcers

These reinforcers are innately satisfying and do not require any learning.
Key examples include satisfying hunger or alleviating pain from a headache.

Conditioned Reinforcers (Secondary)

These reinforcers derive their satisfying quality from learned associations with primary reinforcers.
Examples include receiving cash and using it to buy items.

Immediate Reinforcer

Occurs instantly following a behavior, reinforcing the action quickly.
An example is a rat receiving a food pellet immediately after pressing a bar.

Delayed Reinforcer

Involves a time delay between the behavior and the reinforcement.
Examples include receiving a paycheck at the end of the week or grading at the end of a term.

Continuous Reinforcement

Refers to reinforcing a desired response every time it occurs.
If reinforcement fails (e.g., a malfunctioning candy machine), individuals may stop the behavior.

Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement

Some responses are reinforced while others are not, leading to inconsistent rewards.
An example is yielding to a child's tantrum, which can reinforce the tantrum behavior for peace.

Description

This quiz covers various types of reinforcers, including positive and negative reinforcement. Each card defines a specific term related to behavior strengthening, providing examples for better understanding. Test your knowledge and mastery of behavioral concepts with these flashcards.