There are many types of reinforcement. For our purposes here we will talk about natural reinforcers and contrived (or artificial) reinforcers.A natural reinforcer is any reinforcer that would occur out in the natural environment without therapeutic intervention. They are either spontaneous or come after time with delayed gratification. For example, you work you get paid. There is a natural connection between the behavior and the reinforcement. Any child in a healthy environment would likely receive the reinforcement. Generally speaking, when you are nice to people, they are nice to you. Generally speaking, when you say please and thank you, you get a more reinforcing response. You learn to make a PB&;J sandwich and you get to eat it. You appropriately ask an appropriate person for a hug in an appropriate manner and you get a hug. If you are a child and you appropriately ask for a glass of milk in the right place and time from the right person, you get a glass of milk. You put together a model airplane or a car, you get to keep it and feel good about what you have accomplished. As a child, you ask for what you want that is appropriate, in an appropriate way from the right person and at the appropriate time and you get it if possible. You learn to do something for yourself and you develop independence and feel good about that. You play "nice" (I know that has to be defined) and other children want to play with you. You do things that are appropriate and people say thank you and I'm proud of you. (This one is kind of in-between)
Contrived reinforcers are those provided by or arranged by the therapist and in some cases the parent or teacher. "High fives" (plus some additional strange behaviors usually only seen in football players and avid fans) are also in-between. You ask for a hug and get an m&m. You complete a task or step and get a sticker. You are quiet in class and you get a star while other children who are quiet do not get stars.You do something appropriate and get points and eventually get to buy something with those points. The "point" here is that there is an artificial connection created between the behavior and a reinforcement that would not typically occur for a child not in therapy, or an artificial reinforcement that would not typically occur.
Supplimental Information:
Artificial and Natural Reinforcement
2 comments:
What exactly is a contrived or artificial reinforcer? I don't think I am picking up the proper meaning of it. From what I gather, you ask for something you want and get something you don't want. Is this correct.
Selena
A natural reinforcement is something which someone would naturally receive for doing something. For example, typically if a child comes to their parent and asks for a hug, they would get a hug. If you make a sandwhich you get to eat the sandwhich.
Often service providers get stuck in a rote reinforcement like m & m's etc. For example, they are teaching a child to appropriately ask for a hug and reinforce with an m & m instead of the hug. The m & m is contrived and the hug is natural. Hope that helps.
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