Let’s chat about reinforcement. 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, seeing visible progress or feeling stronger after consistently working out increases the likelihood that the behaviour of working out will occur again in the future. 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. A key characteristic of reinforcement is that it’s gradually faded away so that the behaviours are being engaged in without the reinforcement.
So how is this different to bribery? As we’ve discussed, reinforcement provides positive consequences after a desirable behaviour is exhibited, in an ethical manner. Bribery, on the other hand, is the act of offering or soliciting something of value (such as money, favours, or other benefits) with the intent to influence the actions or decisions of another person, often in an unethical or illegal manner. Bribery typically involves attempting to gain an unfair advantage or to manipulate someone for personal gain. Bribery involves key characteristics such as being unethical in nature, often occurring covertly, and often results in negative consequences such as eroding trust in institutions or undermining the integrity of decision-making processes. An example of bribery occurring in everyday life may be when a child is told to clean up their toys and begins screaming and crying. The child is then, after beginning to tantrum, offered a chocolate.
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). It could be engaging in an activity you like, such as going dancing. It could be getting new things, such as toys or clothes. Reinforcement could even be just feeling intrinsically good. As we’ve mentioned, negative reinforcement is the removal of an aversive stimuli.
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.

Comments