One of our biggest challenges as educators is reinforcing desired behavior, and reducing negative behavior (this is also known as behavior modification). While there are a lot of techniques / theories about how this can be done, one of the more effective models to understanding the methods used is called Operant Conditioning. The main idea with this theory is that consequences drive behavior. To the right 👉 you'll see a simple chart that explains how it works, and I'll explain each idea in more detail below.
So if you want to increase how often a behavior occurs, you ought to engage in reinforcement. There are two types of reinforcement:
So if you want to increase how often a behavior occurs, you ought to engage in reinforcement. There are two types of reinforcement:
- Positive Reinforcement: occurs when a behavior (response) is followed by adding a stimulus that is appealing or rewarding, thus increasing the frequency of that behavior. EX: A student raises his hand and the teacher praises him for participating correctly. He feels good about the acknowledgement, and will likely repeat that action again for praise.
- Negative Reinforcement: occurs when a desired behavior is followed by the stopping, removing or avoiding a stimulus that is seen as negative or unwanted. This too will lead to a behavior increase. EX: A child decides not to tease another student, but to instead be nice, because if he's mean, he'll be sent to time-out. In this case, him being nice to the other student has increased.
If instead you want to want to decrease a behavior's frequency, then you utilize punishment. Punishment can also be positive or negative (adding something or taking something away):
The important thing to remember, is to vary the response. The same type of response doesn't work for every child, and sometimes, it won't work all the time for the same child, so it is best to vary the types of reinforcement / punishment that you use.
- Positive punishment (sometimes just called punishment) is when you present a negative consequence in response to an undesired behavior. However, its intent is to lessen that behavior (not to increase it, like with positive reinforcement). Example; while in class, a student's cell phone starts ringing, and the teacher gives them a lecture on why it is not okay to have your phone on (after the lecture, the student ought to not leave their cell phone on again).
- Negative punishment (aka Response cost) is when some desirable stimulus or thing is removed after an unwanted behavior. Example: student's cell phone goes off in class; they have to give the phone to the teacher for the rest of the day, losing that privilege.
The important thing to remember, is to vary the response. The same type of response doesn't work for every child, and sometimes, it won't work all the time for the same child, so it is best to vary the types of reinforcement / punishment that you use.
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One way that many teachers implement these ideas is through a token economy. Just like the U.S. economy, which depends on people earning dollars, which they then exchange for products, services, goods, etc., you can set up a token economy in your school / classroom. You will need something for money (some token, ticket, etc., that can't easily be forged), and then you must create a chart / rulebook that explains how one can "earn" their money (EX: good behavior, which can be up to your discretion). They can then redeem the tokens for rewards, items, or activities they are interested in.
Note: Token Economies are also often used at home. You may want to communicate behavior with parents for them to use in a token economy at home too! |
There are many other ways to engage in reinforcement as well as punishment. Can you identify which of the types of consequences (Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, Positive Punishment, Negative Punishment / Response Cost) the following situations illustrate? See below (after making your best guess, highlight the space to the right of the blank bullet point to see the correct response!)
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Sources:
http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/special-education-library/functional-behavior-assessment-and-behavior-intervention-plans_20141208095753_500649.pdf?sfvrsn=2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvpLpt39c2A
https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/learning-7/operant-conditioning-47/reinforcement-and-punishment-199-12734/
http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/docs/special-education-library/functional-behavior-assessment-and-behavior-intervention-plans_20141208095753_500649.pdf?sfvrsn=2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvpLpt39c2A
https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/learning-7/operant-conditioning-47/reinforcement-and-punishment-199-12734/