What is Reinforcement?

Reinforcement is one of the most powerful strategies available for teaching your client.  A reinforcer is anything that your client enjoys (praise, hugs, candy, preferred toys, etc.) that when provided following the occurrence of a behavior increases the probability that the behavior will increase or happen again.  For example, a child points to a cookie.  You hold the cookie in front of the child and tell her, “Say cookie.”  When she says “cookie” you praise her and give her the cookie.  The use of the cookie as a reinforcer for language increases the chance that the child will say “cookie” next time she wants a cookie.

Reinforcement or Reward?

We often hear the words reinforcer and reward used interchangeably.  However, they have different meanings.  A reinforcer is something that is known to increase the occurrence of a behavior, while a reward is something that may not necessarily increase the behavior.  Therefore, reinforcers are rewards, but rewards may not necessarily be a reinforcer.  For this reason we must be careful in how we reward children.  In other words, when we want to increase a behavior we need to be sure the items we choose are items the child is willing to work for (i.e. that the items are reinforcing).  It is also important to keep in mind that what is reinforcing for one child may not be reinforcing for another child.  The items that act as reinforcers for your child’s behavior will also change over time.  Because of this, it is important to rotate reinforcers so that your child does not get tired of one reinforcer too quickly.  Similarly, it is important that your client does not have free access to the items you are using for reinforcers.  If Play-doh is a reinforcer and your child can play with Play-doh all day long, then your child will be less likely to work for Play-doh (i.e. it will lose its reinforcing value).Here is another really great video on reinforcement.  (external link)