Question

Which of the following best defines a reinforcer?

1) A reward, which increases a behaviour.
2) Anything that changes the frequency of a behaviour.
3) The removal of a negative stimulus, which increases a behaviour.
4) Anything that increases the frequency of a behaviour.

Answer 1

A reinforcer is anything that increases the frequency of a behavior, either through positive reinforcement, which adds a desirable stimulus, or negative reinforcement, which removes an undesirable stimulus. Both aim to strengthen the probability of the behavior's recurrence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term reinforcer refers to anything that increases the frequency of a behavior. Specifically, in the context of operant conditioning, a reinforcer is an outcome or consequence that strengthens the probability of the behavior occurring again. There are two types of reinforcers:

• Positive reinforcement involves adding a desirable stimulus after a behavior to increase the likelihood of the behavior being repeated. An example would be giving a child a toy as a reward for cleaning their room.
• Negative reinforcement involves removing an undesirable stimulus after a behavior to increase the likelihood of the behavior being repeated. An example is the cessation of an annoying beep from a car's seatbelt reminder when you buckle up.

In both positive and negative reinforcement, the goal is to increase the behavior through the implementation of a consequence. This is in contrast to punishment, which aims to decrease a behavior.