Final answer:
The conditions necessary for the use of DRA include the intent to increase desirable behavior, access to a reinforcer, and that the behavior already occurs at least occasionally. The correct answer is D. All of these, as each condition is critical for the strategy to be effective in operant conditioning.
Step-by-step explanation:
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA) is a strategy used in operant conditioning to increase the frequency of a desirable behavior while decreasing undesirable behaviors. The necessary conditions for DRA to be used include:
- The goal is to increase desirable behavior.
- You have access to a reinforcer.
- The behavior already occurs at least occasionally.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is D. All of these. Each condition is essential for the implementation of DRA. The goal sets the direction of the intervention. Having access to a reinforcer is crucial because without it, there is no means to encourage the desirable behavior. Lastly, the behavior must already occur, albeit infrequently, to be reinforced and shaped towards the desired frequency.
It is important to note that the process of DRA often includes shaping, which is the reinforcement of successive approximations of a target behavior, as described by B.F. Skinner. By reinforcing behaviors that are closer and closer to the end goal, the subject is guided towards the desired behavior.
In the context of operant conditioning, reinforcement can be positive (adding a desirable stimulus) or negative (removing an aversive stimulus). For positive reinforcement, a typical approach would be to consistently provide a positive reinforcer whenever the desired behavior is performed, gradually leading to an increase in that behavior.