Affectively-Align & Culturally Aware ABA Notebook

This was my class discussion post and answers to some classmates questions– copy pasted here.

Schedules of reinforcement are rules that decide when and how often a behavior is rewarded, which affects how often that behavior happens in the future (Cooper et al., 2020). There are two main types: continuous reinforcement (rewarding every single time the behavior happens) and intermittent reinforcement (rewarding only sometimes). In Fixed-Ratio (FR): Reward comes after a set number of responses–an example in the classroom is when a student gets a token after writing a letter in the alphabet 5 times. Variable-Ratio (VR): Reward comes after an unpredictable number of responses–we can see how social media outlets exemplify this by the unpredictable number of likes, comments, or shares a person receives after posting. Fixed-Interval (FI): Reward comes after the first response following a set amount of time. One example is the paycheck a worker receives every 15 days, where reward is given for working during that period(regardless of output after the first required task). And last but not least, we have Variable-Interval (VI): wherein reward comes after an unpredictable amount of time (Miltenberger, 2016)– an example I can remember is how my classmates and I were on our toes with this one teacher we had back in high school (1997! :D) – he liked to give our class random quizzes throughout the week– which worked because it made us form decent study habits. In all, as far as I can relate– these schedules help shape behavior in everything from parenting, classroom, to workplace motivation, and even the not-so-good example of how social medias and casinos use schedules of reinforcement. Here’s 3 questions I’d like to ask:  

1. If training a dog, would an FR or VR schedule work better for long-term obedience? Why? 

2. How could an FI schedule like weekly allowance lead to procrastination compared to a VI schedule like giving random praise after finishing a chore? 

3. Why might a VR schedule like surprise bonuses keep employees working hard/better than an FR schedule like a yearly 13th month paycheck given a month before Christmas? (Switzerland and Philippines do this. I’m not sure if this is a common rule in the US) 

References:  

Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., & Heward, W.L (2020). Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson 

Miltenberger, R.G. (2016). Behavior Modification: Principles and Procedures (6th ed.). Cengage Learning. less

Questions I answered:

Can you explain how a fixed interval schedule works in conditioning behavior? Answer: I love the questions you’re asking, it helps me learn a lot. On #3 question we learned that in FI reinforcement is delivered after a set amount of time passes and the correct behavior happens. And in an FI-5 schedule, the first response after 5 minutes gets rewarded. This is what creates a “scallop” pattern. Slow responding early, then a surge right before the interval ends! I can relate this to when I check my amazon app as delivery time of my package get closer (this might create a scallop pattern if I’m expecting multiple packages on set days). Another example I can think of is checking an oven timer: low attention until the fixed interval nears completion, it shows the predictable ‘wait-then-rush’ pattern FI creates.

Why do you think variable ratio schedules produce high rates of behavior? Answer: Great question!  As far as we’ve learned VR schedules keep behavior strong because reinforcement is unpredictable– To me it’s mind blowing how Tiktok capitalizes on VR.  With Tiktok–since the next reward could always be just one more scroll–people keep responding at high rates. It’s super effective for maintaining a behavior. 

What are some ethical considerations in terms of the use of negative reinforcement? Answer: This is a  great post! I was really drawn to your #3 question. We know that negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase to desired behavior. Ethically, ensuring not to cause harm, distress, or fear, avoiding excessive control, and respecting a person’s autonomy are major factors– additionally, prioritizing using positive method. I believe that BCBA’s continually check the ethical standards of ABA throughout their practice to keep the procedure safe and person centered.

I am inviting my reader to chime in! Please I would love to read your take on these questions. I look forward to seeing your real-world examples! Thank you.