Types of Reinforcers Flashcards

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.