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 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 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 in frequency. That is to be your focus this week—using reinforcement-based strategies to increase the frequency of a behavior.
For this Discussion, you will analyze a scenario focusing on a particular behavior and explain how positive reinforcement could be used to increase the frequency of that behavior.
To Prepare
- Review the Learning Resources for this week, including the required weekly media programs, to gain an understanding of increasing the frequency of a behavior through positive reinforcement. Note: It is critical for you to review all media for this week prior to completing this Discussion.
- Think about types of positive reinforcement in your own life that you remember being effective in increasing your behavior.
- Review 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.
- Based on the scenario provided, search the Walden Library and/or the internet for available research that has been used effectively to increase activity levels in overweight children
- .Post an explanation of how positive reinforcement could be utilized to help Bobby increase physical activity. Include the following in your explanation:
- A proposed reinforcer
- Timing of proposed reinforcer delivery
- Motivation
Resources
- Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
- Chapter 11, “Positive Reinforcement” (pp. 252–286)
- Chapter 13, “Schedules of Reinforcement” (pp. 301–323)
- Redshaw, S. (2007). 'Cleaning your glasses': A prerequisite for 'catching your child being goodLinks to an external site..' Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 28 (1), 28–34.
- Morgan, D. L. (2010). Schedules of reinforcement at 50: A retrospective appreciationLinks to an external site.. The Psychological Record, 60 , 151–172
Required Media