Reinforcement and Differential Reinforcement
Key Takeaways
- Reinforcement is defined by its effect on future behavior, not by the practitioner's intent.
- Differential reinforcement combines reinforcement for one response class with withholding reinforcement for another.
- Procedure selection should follow function, skill status, social validity, feasibility, and risk.
- DRA, DRI, DRO, DRL, and DRH are selected for different behavior goals and can be confused on exam items.
Procedure Selection Lens
Reinforcement is a functional relation: a consequence follows a response and increases future responding under similar conditions. On the BCBA exam, do not choose a reinforcer because it sounds pleasant. Choose it because assessment, observation, or preference data support that it will increase the target response.
Differential reinforcement is a selection tool, not one procedure. It asks two questions: what response will contact reinforcement, and what response will not? The answer should be tied to the function of behavior and to a response the learner can perform or can learn with support.
Common Differential Reinforcement Options
| Procedure | Reinforce | Withhold for | Best exam cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRA | Alternative response | Problem behavior | Functionally equivalent or socially useful replacement |
| DRI | Physically incompatible response | Problem behavior | Cannot do both responses at once |
| DRO | Absence of target behavior | Target behavior | No specific replacement response is required |
| DRL | Lower rate of behavior | Rates above criterion | Behavior is acceptable but occurs too often |
| DRH | Higher rate of behavior | Rates below criterion | Goal is to build fluency or frequency |
DRA is usually strongest when the alternative response produces the same reinforcer as the problem behavior. If a learner hits to escape difficult tasks, reinforcing a break request is more functionally matched than reinforcing quiet sitting alone. The alternative must also be efficient enough to compete with the problem behavior.
DRI is a special case of DRA. It is useful when the incompatible response is natural, practical, and maintainable. For example, hands in pockets may be incompatible with hand biting, but it may not be socially valid or appropriate across the day. The exam may include a physically incompatible option that is still a poor fit.
DRO can reduce behavior, but it does not directly teach what to do instead. It is more defensible when paired with teaching a replacement skill or when the response is already in the learner's repertoire. Watch for distractors that use DRO when the scenario clearly needs communication, tolerance, or academic responding.
DRL is selected when the behavior should occur less often, not disappear. Asking many relevant questions, requesting teacher attention, or checking work may need rate reduction rather than elimination. A zero-rate goal for socially appropriate behavior can be overrestrictive.
Exam Decision Aid
- Identify the function and current response class.
- Ask whether the goal is increase, decrease, replace, or thin a rate.
- Confirm the learner can access reinforcement for the desired response.
- Check contextual fit for caregivers, staff, culture, safety, and resources.
- Plan data review before changing schedule, magnitude, prompts, or criteria.
A student tears worksheets when difficult math is presented. Functional assessment indicates the behavior is maintained by escape. The team teaches the student to hand over a break card and immediately provides a brief break for card use while no longer allowing worksheet tearing to produce escape. Which procedure is most directly represented?
A learner frequently leaves her seat during independent work. The analyst reinforces sitting with feet under the desk because that posture cannot occur at the same time as walking around the room. Which differential reinforcement procedure is this?
A client asks relevant questions during group instruction, but the rate disrupts peers. The goal is to reduce questions to a practical level, not eliminate them. Which procedure is most appropriate to consider first?