Final answer:
Differential Reinforcement of Diminishing Rates of Responding (DRD) is a technique in operant conditioning employed to reduce the frequency of a behavior by reinforcing only when the behavior occurs at a rate lower than a pre-set threshold.
Step-by-step explanation:
Differential Reinforcement of Diminishing Rates of Responding (DRD) is a technique used in operant conditioning to decrease the frequency of a behavior. This method is when reinforcement (a reward or a positive outcome) is provided when the number of responses in a certain period of time is less than a predetermined criterion. DRD is in contrast with continuous reinforcement, where a behavior is rewarded every time it occurs, and it is also a strategy opposite to extinction where a decline in the conditioned response happens when reinforcement is no longer provided.
In operant conditioning, behaviors are influenced by consequences; reinforcement aims to increase behavior frequency, while punishment aims to decrease it. Reinforcement and punishment can be either positive (adding something) or negative (removing something). DRD places emphasis on providing positive reinforcement only when the rate of a specific behavior decreases, thus encouraging lower rates of behavior without direct punishment.