Differential Reinforcement

Differential Reinforcement

1. Differential Reinforcement of incompatible behaviour (DRI)

   • Example: When the dog jumps up at visitors, find a behaviour that is incompatible with jumping, for example get the dog to sit as the dog cannot sit at the same time as jumping up at the visitors, to do this the owner must repeatedly reward the dog for sitting when visitors arrive to make performing this behaviour seem more desirable to the dog

2. Differential Reinforcement of an Alternative behaviour (DRA)

   • Example: The dog barks at the postman every time letters are posted through the door, however this behaviour can be changed by rewarding the dog if they whine at the postman instead as although this behaviour is still an annoyance it is more acceptable than barking

3. Differential Reinforcement of other behaviour (DRO)

   • Example: A cat stresses when they are placed into a carrier, so as soon as they exhibit any calm behaviours they must be rewarded for this, this helps the cat to control their own emotions and become less stressed when being placed into the carrier

4. Differential Reinforcement of low rates (DRL): When you want to decrease the frequency of a behaviour but not remove the behaviour all together

   • Example: A parrot asks to be groomed constantly, however you only want to groom them over so often. So when the parrot asks to be groomed only respond to this behaviour 5 out of 10 times rather than all of the time, this should reduce the frequency of how often the parrot asks to be groomed.

5. Definition: the implementation of reinforcing only the appropriate response and apply extinction to all other responses