Many families use only punishment when educating their children. In an education system where there is only punishment, parents and educators will not get the efficiency they want and the desired behaviors will not occur. Reinforcement is a good method to increase desired behavior. If we define reinforcement, reinforcement is any technique that increases the frequency or probability of repetition of a response, a basic behavioral strategy used to obtain the desired behavior in a short time. Reinforcement is done by giving a positive stimulus (praise, hug, toy, play time) or by removing a negative stimulus (a boring job).
Some families may not want to reinforce their children's good/appropriate behavior. There are many reasons for this. For example, families who do not want to interrupt the child's good behavior may hesitate to give reinforcers because they think it will end. Although they are worried that their children constantly want this reinforcer, they may think that children should "already" do the appropriate behavior and that extra good behavior should be praised.
Reinforcement is done in two ways: Positive and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is the delivery of a pleasant stimulus to the organism or environment to continue the behavior. Negative reinforcement is the removal of an unpleasant stimulus from the organism and environment to continue the behavior. When the stimulus is removed from the environment, the disturbing situation disappears and the person continues to perform the behavior.
Positive Reinforcement: The process of following the behavior with positive events and increasing the probability of these behaviors in the future is called positive reinforcement. Effective use of positive reinforcement; Maintaining behavior is as important as gaining it. Being aware of the behaviors that continue in accordance with the norms as expected and expressing satisfaction from time to time ensures that the behaviors continue. Withdrawal of positive reinforcers paves the way for the formation of problem behaviors. Norm-compliant behaviors that are not positively reinforced fade away. For example, studying normally, reviewing the topic of the lesson before entering the lesson, listening to the lessons in class, answering questions, and returning home after school. It continues because the actions of the student who reviews the notes he took in class, reads the relevant subject from his book and does his homework are positively reinforced when his actions are noticed by his teacher at school and family members at home. The family and therapist identify two or three behaviors. (The behavior of a child who constantly fights with his brother when he is not fighting is reinforced.) First, the targeted behaviors are determined, then potential reinforcers are determined. Families increase the frequency of designated reinforcers.
Some parents think their children are not worthy of praise. This causes the family to overlook the positive reinforcer. The child is not 100% bad, there are definitely times when he does the right behavior, parents need to follow the desired behavior. In order to reduce negative feedback, it is recommended to increase positive feedback. If the parent increases positive reinforcement, he or she will spend less time and effort on punishment. Thanks to positive reinforcement, the frequency of undesirable behavior decreases.
Reinforcement is shaped according to the desired behavior from bottom to top. (From easy to difficult) In the beginning, small steps are reinforced. As the child performs the expected behavior, the next step is given. Thanks to different reinforcements, the child is ready to do more complex tasks.
Questions we can ask families who think that the reinforcement method will not work.
What does the family really want?
They usually do what they say and what they want. , obedient child?.
For a child; How easy would it be to listen to someone who punishes or shouts in front of him?
Would you listen?
The homes of such families have a tense and hostile environment. With positive reinforcement, the home environment softens and conflict decreases. Reinforcement is a motivation for parents who see that children are used to possible negative consequences. It should be known that punitive methods are a habitual behavior, and different methods should be tried.
What is an Effective Reinforcer? An effective reinforcer is a reinforcement given after a positive behavior occurs. e are food, activity, verbal expressions, gestures and physical contacts that increase the frequency and number of positive behaviors.
How to Use Effective Reinforcers?
What should we pay attention to when using reinforcers?
The reinforcer should be used immediately after the positive behavior, without any other behavior in between. To be effective, praise should be given immediately after the behavior.
For example, when Onur's bedtime comes, his mother praises him for appropriate behavior during the day. However, his mother's failure to give reinforcement immediately after the behavior causes Onur to be unable to reconcile 'good behavior' with 'end of day' praise. The effect of the reinforcer is high when it is given immediately after the behavior.
While the child is being reinforced, the appropriate behavior should be described and the child should be told what he is doing.
Reinforcements should not be exaggerated; Food reinforcers should be used in very small pieces, activity reinforcers should be used for short periods of time, and social and tactile reinforcers should be used in limited numbers.
Progresses should be reinforced, and behavior that the child has previously acquired and maintained should not be reinforced.
Reinforcers should be withdrawn. Withdrawal should be done systematically. While every appropriate behavior that we want the child to acquire is reinforced in the beginning, in the following period, the behavior should be decreased and reinforced not every time the child does it, but 2, 3, 4 times in a row. The number of behaviors before the behavior is reinforced should be increased in this way, and after a while (after the continuity and generalization of the behavior is ensured), it should be reduced and turned into social reinforcers, and the reinforcement should be terminated.
Why Should We Provide Social Reinforcers? Social reinforcers are learned reinforcements. They are reinforcers and can take various forms such as praise, the teacher's attention, physical contact (tapping on the back) and facial expressions (smiling, eye contact, nodding and winking).
Their use is natural. Praise and other social behaviors that can act as social reinforcement are used by many people such as teachers, parents, assistant teachers and friends.
The teaching process does not prevent. Praise as a social reinforcer can be offered without interrupting the teaching process or an ongoing behavior.
It can be varied. By being paired with other effective reinforcers from time to time, effects such as satisfaction or boredom can be prevented.
It also takes place in daily life. Finally, it is frequently encountered in daily life that praise follows behavior as a social reinforcer. Thus, it is possible to maintain daily living skills. With these features, praises are naturally used reinforcers.
Adults should take time to praise children's appropriate behavior. The slogan “catch them in good behavior” describes this very well.
Praise should be directed at the child's behavior, not at himself. Praise for behavior increases the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated in the future. When inappropriate behavior is not praised, the child realizes that it is his behavior that is inadequate, not him. Verbal rewards should not be judgmental or critical. “It was very nice of you to clear the table, but you didn't put the plates in the machine.” >>>This is a wrong practice.
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