Which reinforcement schedule is best for addressing behavior problems?

• A. Differential reinforcement of the behavior & of incompatible behavior
• B. Fixed interval reinforcement
• C. Continuous reinforcement
• D. Differential reinforcement of low rates - to slowly decrease the rate of behavior

Answer: (D)

The concept here is using a reinforcement strategy that lowers how often a problem behavior occurs while still allowing for reinforcement. Differential reinforcement of low rates does exactly that: you reinforce the behavior only when it happens infrequently enough (for example, after a longer pause between occurrences or within a window where the total count is below a set limit). Over time, the animal learns that frequent occurrences won’t be reinforced, so the rate of the problem behavior decreases gradually. This approach is helpful when you want to reduce a problematic behavior without eliminating reinforcement or punishing the animal harshly, which can backfire or cause frustration.

Continuous reinforcement would tend to maintain or increase the problem behavior because every instance is reinforced, making it harder to reduce. A fixed-interval schedule reinforces after a set amount of time regardless of behavior, which can create bursts of behavior as the interval nears its end and doesn’t specifically target lowering the rate. Differential reinforcement of other or incompatible behaviors can be effective for replacing or suppressing a problem, but differential reinforcement of low rates directly targets reducing how often the problem occurs, making it the most appropriate choice for addressing a high-rate behavior.