Thompson, R. H., Iwata, B. A., Hanley, G. P., Dozier, C. L., & Samaha, A. L. (2003).
The effects of extinction, noncontingent reinforcement, and differential reinforcement of other behavior as control procedures.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
36, 221-238.
Several techniques have been used in applied research as controls
for the introduction of a reinforcement contingency, including
extinction, noncontingent reinforcement (NCR), and differential
reinforcement of other behavior (DRO). Little research, however,
has examined the relative strengths and limitations of these
"reversal" controls. We compared the effects of
extinction with those of NCR and DRO in both multielement and
reversal designs, with respect to (a) rate and amount of response
decrement, (b) rate of response recovery following reintroduction
of reinforcement, and (c) any positive or negative side effects
associated with transitions. Results indicated that extinction
generally produced the most consistent and rapid reversal
effects, with few observed negative side effects.
DESCRIPTORS: _differential reinforcement of other behavior,
experimental design, extinction, noncontingent reinforcement,
reinforcement control procedures