Differential Reinforcement

Any behavior that gets attention will likely be reinforced and repeated in the future.

​While there are aspects to all of these that can be beneficial, there are two primary ones that are most beneficial; positive reinforcement and extinction.  We all need praise and to know that our efforts to improve are being noticed, and children are no different. Catching a child or adult in the act of being on task, doing their work well, finishing their work on time, being quiet, are all important in increasing these behaviors.

Behaviors that are maladaptive should receive the least amount of attention as possible, as paying attention to them increases the likelihood they will be repeated. When a child turns in their school work late and the teacher reprimands them, they have just increased the likelihood that the child will turn in school work late in the future. Rewarding children who turn their homework in on time, and giving little attention to the lateness will increase the likelihood of promptness. A child who habitually turns in late work and one day turns it in on time, should get as much positive reward as possible.​ 

An adult who maintains a messy work area and is told how messy they are, will likely maintain a messy work area in the future, since they get attention for this behavior. An adult who finishes their work on schedule and is promptly rewarded by being given the afternoon off, will likely get work done on time in the future. 

Things like a break or time out should only be used when the child's safety or another person's safety is at stake. Punishment does not provide an alternative behavior to the maladaptive behavior and does not change future behavior, it only stops the present behavior. Likewise for adults, when they are punished by being told in front of co-workers (adding an adverse stimulant) that they are always late to work, will not change this

behavior in the long term.

Negative reinforcement is used a great deal in schools. It increases the likelihood that a behavior will increase in the future.

Differential reinforcement

The use of extinction in conjunction with positive reinforcement is called differential reinforcement.  This is alternating between conscious ignoring the maladaptive behavior and then giving positive reinforcement when they exhibit the alternative behavior. Example: If the child is hitting, you back away so they are not being reinforced for the hitting, turn your head away so they are not getting your attention for the hitting, tell them to have quiet hands, then as soon as they put their hands down, reinforce that they have quiet hands.

For an adult, you consciously ignore the maladaptive behavior of being late, and at the same time, when they show up to work on time, reward that behavior by noticing it and rewarding it.