automatic reinforcement

Reinforcement

that occurs independent of the social

mediation of others (e.g., scratching an

insect bite relieves the itch

conditioned reinforcer

A stimulus change that functions as a reinforcer because of prior pairing with one or more other reinforcers. (Sometimes called secondary or learned reinforcer.)

generalized conditioned reinforcer

A conditioned reinforcer that as a result of having been paired with many other reinforcers does not depend on an establishing operation for any particular form of reinforcement for its effectiveness.

positive reinforcement

A response followed immediately by the presentation of a stimulus change that results in similar responses occurring more often. (Contrast with negative reinforcement.

positive reinforcer

A stimulus whose presentation or onset functions as reinforcement. (Contrast with negative reinforcer.)

Premack principle

 A principle that states that making the opportunity to engage in a high-probability behavior contingent on the occurrence of a low-frequency behavior will function as reinforcement for the low-frequency behavior. Sometimes called “Grandma’s Law.” (See also response-deprivation hypothesis.)

reinforcer assessment

Refers to a variety of direct, empirical methods for presenting one or more stimuli contingent on a target response and measuring their effectiveness as reinforcers.

response-deprivation hypothesis

 A model for predicting whether contingent access to one behavior will function as reinforcement for engaging in another behavior based on whether access to the contingent behavior rep-resents a restriction of the activity compared to the baseline level of engagement. (See also Premack principle.)

rule-governed behavior

Behavior controlled by a rule (i.e., a verbal statement of an antecedent-behavior-consequence contingency); enables human behavior (e.g., fastening a seat belt) to come under the indirect control of temporally remote or improbable, but potentially significant consequences (e.g., avoiding injury in an auto accident). Often used in contrast to contingency-shaped behavior, a term used to indicate behavior selected and maintained by controlled, temporally close consequences.

socially mediated contingencies

A contingency in which an antecedent stimulus and/or the consequence for the behavior is presented by another person.

stimulus preference assessment

A variety of procedures used to deter-mine the stimuli that a person prefers, the relative preference values (high versus low) of those stimuli, the conditions under which those preference values remain in effect, and their presumed value as reinforcers.

unconditioned reinforcer

 A stimulus change that increases the frequency of any behavior that immediately precedes it irrespective of the organism’s learning history with the stimulus. Unconditioned reinforcers are the product of the evolutionary development of the species (phylogeny). (Also called primary or unlearned reinforcer; compare to conditioned reinforcer.)