Lerman, D. C., Kelley, M. E., Vorndran, C. M., Kuhn, S. A. C., & LaRue, R. H., Jr. (2002).
Reinforcement magnitude and responding during treatment with differential reinforcement.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
35, 29-48.
Basic findings indicate that the amount or magnitude of
reinforcement can influence free-operant responding prior to and
during extinction. In this study, the relation between
reinforcement magnitude and adaptive behavior was evaluated with
3 children as part of treatment with differential reinforcement.
In the first experiment, a communicative response was shaped and
maintained by the same reinforcer that was found to maintain
problem behavior. Two reinforcement magnitudes (20-s or 60-s
access to toys or escape from demands) were compared and found to
be associated with similar levels of resistance to extinction.
The relation between reinforcement magnitude and response
maintenance was further evaluated in the second experiment by
exposing the communicative response to 20-s or 300-s access to
toys or escape. Results for 2 participants suggested that this
factor may alter the duration of postreinforcement pauses.
DESCRIPTORS: _differential reinforcement, extinction, functional
communication training, reinforcement magnitude, resistance,
severe behavior disorders