There’s a lot of misconceptions about the use of reinforcement in ABA therapy and whether or not it’s bribing children to do what we want. Let’s start by looking at the definition: Reinforcement is the delivery of something after a behaviour occurs that increases the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again in the future. There are two types of reinforcement - positive and negative. Positive reinforcement involves presenting a preferred stimulus after the behaviour. For example, a child completes their homework, their mum responds by saying “great job finishing your homework!” and giving extra play time or their favourite treat. The added reward encourages the child to complete their homework more often. The second type of reinforcement is negative reinforcement which involves the removal of a disliked stimulus after a desired behaviour. For example, a seat belt alarm turning off once a seatbelt is fastened reinforces the behaviour of fastening a seat belt.
So how is this different to bribery? As we’ve discussed, reinforcement provides positive consequences after a behaviour is exhibited. Bribery, on the other hand, is the act of offering something of value before or in the moment with the intent to influence the actions or decisions of that person. An example of bribery might be when a child starts to whinge or cry in the supermarket and you respond by saying “if you stop crying, I’ll buy you a treat”.
Reinforcement is a powerful tool used in various settings, including education, parenting, and ABA therapy to promote desired behaviours and discourage undesirable ones. Reinforcement is used all around us every day. Think about why you go to work each day - to get paid. Receiving this payment increases the likelihood that you’ll continue to go to work each day. If you weren’t being paid, there’s less chance you would go to work. Reinforcement also occurs quite naturally. For example, if you make a joke and someone laughs at it, you feel good, and you’re more likely to continue making jokes, or make that joke again another time. If no one had laughed, you wouldn’t feel good, and you’d be less likely to continue making that joke.
What can be used as a reinforcer? Absolutely anything! If something is preferred by someone, it can be a reinforcer. This could be attention from someone (such as praise), engaging in an activity you like, such as going dancing, or getting new things, such as toys or clothes. Reinforcement could even be just feeling intrinsically good.
When we’re teaching children new skills, using reinforcement ensures they are more likely to engage in the behaviour. This means children can learn and continue to use new skills.
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