Final answer:
Immediately after the problem behavior in a response cost procedure, there may not be an instant reaction, but a reinforcer will be removed, such as taking away tokens for inappropriate behavior, aiming to reduce the occurrence of the behavior in the future.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a response cost procedure, the immediate consequence of a problem behavior is typically the removal of a reinforcer, but the timing of this removal can vary. Initially, there may not be an immediate response, but then a negative consequence follows, which could include loss of privileges, tokens, or other positive reinforcements. An example of this would be a child earning tokens for good behavior in a classroom setting.
However, if the child displays a problematic behavior such as shouting out answers without raising their hand, they might lose some of their earned tokens. This token loss typically happens after the behavior, not simultaneously. The purpose of the response cost is to decrease the future likelihood of the problem behavior occurring.
In contrast, other forms of operant conditioning, such as a fixed ratio reinforcement schedule, reward a behavior after a set number of responses, and a variable ratio reinforcement schedule rewards behavior after an unpredictable number of responses. Negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a desired behavior, whereas punishment, a different concept, aims to decrease a behavior by either presenting a negative stimulus (positive punishment) or removing a positive one (negative punishment). Extinction of a behavior in operant conditioning can occur if reinforcement stops, and the speed of extinction will depend upon the type of reinforcement schedule that was in place.