Reinforcement Definitions
Before diving into the Principle of Reinforcement we will begin by defining some terms that are typically used when discussing reinforcement.
1. Reinforcement: Occurs when a stimulus change immediately follows a response and increases the future frequency of that type of behavior in similar conditions (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
2. Reinforcer: A stimulus change that increases the future frequency of behavior that immediately precedes it (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
3. Conditioned Reinforcer (CS): A stimulus change that functions as a reinforcer because of prior pairing with one or more other reinforcers; sometimes called secondary or learned reinforcer (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
4. Unconditioned Reinforcer (UR): A stimulus change that increases the frequency of any behavior that immediately precedes it regardless of the organism's learning history with the stimulus. Unconditioned reinforcers are the result of evolutionary development of the species (phylogeny); sometimes called primary or unlearned reinforcer (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
5. Differential Reinforcement: Reinforcing only those responses within a response class that meet a specific criterion along some dimension. For example, along, frequency, topography, duration, latency, and/or magnitude and placing all other responses in the class on extinction (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
6. Consequence: A stimulus change that follows a behavior of interest. Some consequences, especially those that are immediate and relevant to current motivational states, have significant influence on future behavior; others have little effect. (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007)
7. Contingency: Refers to dependent and/or temporal relations between operant behavior and its controlling variables. (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
8. Contingent: Describes reinforcement (or punishment) that is delivered only after the target behavior has occurred. (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
9. Three-term Contingency: The basic unit of analysis in the analysis of operant behavior; encompasses temporal and possibly dependent relations among an antecedent stimulus, behavior, and consequence. (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
Do not be alarmed by this list. These definitions are for you to use a reference and for your knowledge. Many of these definitions will become more clear after the dissuasions on positive and negative reinforcement.
1. Reinforcement: Occurs when a stimulus change immediately follows a response and increases the future frequency of that type of behavior in similar conditions (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
2. Reinforcer: A stimulus change that increases the future frequency of behavior that immediately precedes it (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
3. Conditioned Reinforcer (CS): A stimulus change that functions as a reinforcer because of prior pairing with one or more other reinforcers; sometimes called secondary or learned reinforcer (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
4. Unconditioned Reinforcer (UR): A stimulus change that increases the frequency of any behavior that immediately precedes it regardless of the organism's learning history with the stimulus. Unconditioned reinforcers are the result of evolutionary development of the species (phylogeny); sometimes called primary or unlearned reinforcer (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
5. Differential Reinforcement: Reinforcing only those responses within a response class that meet a specific criterion along some dimension. For example, along, frequency, topography, duration, latency, and/or magnitude and placing all other responses in the class on extinction (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
6. Consequence: A stimulus change that follows a behavior of interest. Some consequences, especially those that are immediate and relevant to current motivational states, have significant influence on future behavior; others have little effect. (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007)
7. Contingency: Refers to dependent and/or temporal relations between operant behavior and its controlling variables. (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
8. Contingent: Describes reinforcement (or punishment) that is delivered only after the target behavior has occurred. (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
9. Three-term Contingency: The basic unit of analysis in the analysis of operant behavior; encompasses temporal and possibly dependent relations among an antecedent stimulus, behavior, and consequence. (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
Do not be alarmed by this list. These definitions are for you to use a reference and for your knowledge. Many of these definitions will become more clear after the dissuasions on positive and negative reinforcement.