Brian Brandenburg, Author at Early Intervention Technical Assistance Portal

Positive and Negative Reinforcement

In addition to understanding general reinforcement, it is key to understand the difference between positive and negative reinforcement. We recommend that you review “Reinforcement” prior to exploring this “Bit” in order to better understand the positive and negative aspects of reinforcement. You may be surprised by what you discover!

Punishment

The word “punishment” can bring strong images to one’s mind. Images that often involve personal memories, angry adults, and crying children. Behaviorally speaking “punishment” is none of these things. In this “Bit” you will identify what punishment is and how it impacts behavior.

Positive and Negative Punishment

Just like reinforcement, punishment comes in positive and negative forms. We recommend that you review “Punishment” prior to exploring this “Bit” in order to better understand the positive and negative aspects of punishment. You may be surprised by what you discover!

Differential Reinforcement

This is a practice that involves focusing your reinforcement on one specific behavior and withholding reinforcement from another specific behavior. We recommend you review “Positive and Negative Reinforcement” prior to exploring this “Bit.”

Reinforcement

Reinforcement is a powerful piece in the puzzle of understanding a child’s behavior. In this “Bit” you will review what reinforcement is and how to identify if a response is reinforcing (increasing) a child’s behavior.

ABC Data Collection

This “Bit about Behavior” will help you understand how to see your observations and organize them according to the “Antecedent”, “Behavior”, and “Consequence.”

Measurement

Explore ways to measure the six dimensions of behavior through child scenarios and utilizing a variety of data collection tools. We recommend you complete the “Behavior Bit” titled: Six Dimensions of Behavior prior to completing this “Bit.”

Operational Definitions

An operational definition of behavior is presented in terms that are fully observable and measurable; this allows all adults to be able to agree at any moment on whether or not the behavior is occurring.

Skip to content
Skip to content