Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior (DRO) involves which approach?

• A. Punish the unwanted behavior
• B. Reward only the first correct response after a fixed interval
• C. Reward any response other than unwanted behaviors
• D. Ignore all behavior

Answer: (C)

DRO works by reinforcing the absence of the unwanted behavior within a defined time period. Instead of punishing the problem or reinforcing a specific new action every time, reinforcement is provided when the target behavior does not occur during the interval. Because reinforcement is contingent on the problem behavior not happening, any other behaviors the dog might perform during that interval can lead to the end of the interval and a reward. Over time, this increases the likelihood that the dog will refrain from the unwanted behavior to obtain the reinforcement, while the dog is encouraged to emit other, non-target behaviors.

This is different from rewarding only a specific correct response after a fixed interval, which targets a particular action rather than the absence of the problem behavior. It’s also not about ignoring all behavior or using punishment. The key idea is reinforcing the non-occurrence of the unwanted behavior, effectively promoting alternative behaviors by leveraging the absence of the problem.