Keeney, K. M., Fisher, W. W., Adelinis, J. D., & Wilder, D. A. (2000).
The effects of response cost in the treatment of aberrant behavior maintained by negative reinforcement.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
33, 255-258.
Positive reinforcement contingencies can sometimes be used to
decrease problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement
(e.g., escape). In the current study, we evaluated the extent to
which response cost (i.e., contingent removal of a preferred
stimulus) would compete with the negative reinforcer maintaining
destructive behavior. The response cost contingency reduced
destructive behavior by 87% from baseline levels even though the
negative reinforcement contingency (i.e., escape) remained in
place.
DESCRIPTORS: destructive behavior, functional analysis, negative
reinforcement, response cost