If you have children or have ever worked with children, you know that there are times when a child is either not doing something you would want him or her to do or not doing it enough. You can also probably also think of times in your own childhood when your parents may have had a similar issue with you. The fact is, there are many times when we as parents or clinicians want to increase the frequency of a behavior. Yelling at the child or threatening him or her is probably not going to work very well, nor is it appropriate. What is more likely to work is reinforcing the behavior you want to increase. That is to be your focus this week—using reinforcement-based strategies to increase the frequency of a behavior.

Read the following scenario:

Bobby is overweight and does not engage in any regular exercise. His doctor has recommended that he increase physical activity, but he prefers video games and playing on his mobile device.

ASSIGNMENT: Briefly explain how positive reinforcement could be utilized to help Bobby increase physical activity. In your post, include the following:

• A proposed reinforcer
• Timing of proposed reinforcer delivery
• Contingency
• Motivation
• A suggestion for how to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed reinforcer

REFERENCES

• Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied behavior analysis (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
• Chapter 11, “Positive Reinforcement” (pp. 256–290)
• Chapter 13, “Schedules of Reinforcement” (pp. 304–323)

• Cavalari, R. N. S., DuBard, M., Luiselli, J. K., & Birtwell, K. (2013). Teaching an adolescent with autism and intellectual disability to tolerate routine medical examination: Effects of a behavioral compliance training package. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 1(2), 121–128. 

• Morgan, D. L. (2010). Schedules of reinforcement at 50: A retrospective appreciation. The Psychological Record, 60, 151–172.