Praise can be an effective form of positive reinforcement when used strategically. Some key points about praise: - Praise should describe the specific behavior being reinforced (e.g. "Thank you for sharing your toys," rather than a general "Good job"). This helps the child understand what they did to earn the praise. - Praise works best when it is sincere and immediate after the desired behavior occurs. - Too much non-specific praise may decrease its reinforcing value over time. It's best to reserve praise for behaviors you truly want to see increase. - Praise alone may not be as effective as praise combined with another reinforcer like a preferred activity or tangible item. - The goal

1. Guiding Your Strong Willed Child
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2. Week 7
Review We Have Come So Far
Community Sure! First, Then
Content What Goes Up…
Collaboration Differential Reinforcement

3. Review
Not-A-Test
• Krista believes that the best way to parent is
described in the book:
• The Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori
• Parenting with Love & Logic by Foster Cline & Jim Fay
• The Attachment Parenting Book by William & Martha
Sears
• French Kids Eat Everything by Karen LeBillion
• On Behavior by BF Skinner
• None of the above

4. Review
Not-A-Test
• Krista believes that the best way to parent is
described in the book:
•
•
•
•
•
• None of the above
Parenting is personal! The plan you make at your HAT is the best way for YOU to
parent. Harnessing the science of learning can make parenting easier.

5. Review
Not-A-Test
• Behavior of both children and adults
_____________ be reinforced or punished.
• probably should
• probably should not
• will
• will not

6. Review
Not-A-Test
• Behavior of both children and adults
_____________ be reinforced or punished.
•
•
• will
•
Answer: Will. Reinforcement and punishment are terms we use to describe the
effect of consequences on behavior (reinforcement = expect more of it,
punishment = expect less of it)

7. Review
Not-A-Test
• Circle all of the words you might find in an
“operational definition” of a tantrum.
Wanted toy Produces tears Shouts “no” Angry
Kicks feet Mad at brother Didn’t sleep well
Longer than a minute Happy Throws object

8. Review
Not-A-Test
• Circle all of the words you might find in an
“operational definition” of a tantrum.
Produces tears Shouts “no” Angry
Kicks feet Mad at brother Didn’t sleep well
Longer than a minute Happy Throws object
Answer: All except those in black – those all are presumptions we make based on our
observations, but are not objective descriptions of behavior

9. Review
Not-A-Test
• An antecedent, behaviorally speaking, can best
be described as:
• what happens after a behavior occurs
• what happens before a behavior occurs
• what causes a behavior to occur
• how a child feels before she engages in a behavior

10. Review
Not-A-Test
• An antecedent, behaviorally speaking, can best
be described as:
•
• what happens before a behavior occurs
•
•
Answer: An antecedent comes before a behavior but does not cause operant
behavior contrary to popular opinion

11. Review
Not-A-Test
• A (n) _____________ works by changing the
reinforcement properties of a reinforcer.
• functional analysis
• establishing operation
• preference assessment
• discriminative stimulus

12. Review
Not-A-Test
• A (n) _____________ works by changing the
reinforcement properties of a reinforcer.
•
Establishing
• establishing operation
operations effect
• the reinforcer
•
ANSWER: An establishing operation is a special antecedent that
makes a reinforcer more reinforcing!

13. Review
Not-A-Test
• A (n) _____________ works by telling us what
behavior will get reinforced or punished.
• functional analysis
• establishing operation
• preference assessment
• discriminative stimulus

14. Review
Not-A-Test
• A (n) _____________ works by telling us what
behavior will get reinforced or punished.
•
• Discriminative stimuli
• effect behavior
• discriminative stimulus selection
Answer: A discriminative stimulus is a special antecedent that
signals what behavior will be reinforced or punished

15. Review
Not-A-Test
• All behavior serves a __________________.
Please write in your single word answer. If you
don’t know the real answer, creative wrong answers
will earn partial credit 

16. Review
Not-A-Test
• All behavior serves a __________________.
Please write in your single word answer. If you
don’t know the real answer, creative wrong answers
will earn partial credit 
FUNCTION!
Answer: And the key to changing a behavior is to understand its function.

17. Review
Not-A-Test
• If a child’s behavior is positively reinforced it will
_______________ the future probability of that
behavior.
• increase
• decrease
• not effect

18. Content
Review
Not-A-Test
• If a child’s behavior is positively reinforced it will
_______________ the future probability of that
behavior.
• increase
•
•
Answer: Increase
(reinforcement = increase in behavior, regardless if positive or negative)

19. Review
Not-A-Test
• If a child’s behavior is negatively reinforced it will
_______________ the future probability of that
behavior.
• increase
• decrease
• not effect

20. Review
Not-A-Test
• If a child’s behavior is negatively reinforced it will
_______________ the future probability of that
behavior.
• increase
•
•
Answer: Increase
(reinforcement = increase in behavior, regardless if positive or negative)

21. Week 7
Review We Have Come So Far
Community Sure! First, Then
Content What Goes Up…
Collaboration Differential Reinforcement

22. Community
Me = Commit & Stick
• Forgot to turn in your at-home extension this week?
• No worries, you can try out this new skill as an…
ACTOR!

23. Community
At Home Extensions

24. Community
Good News (…for you!)
• Everyone turned their videos in this week!
So I to be the ACTOR!
• Extra Credit:
• Are you more likely or less likely to turn in your at-
home extension on time next week as a result?
– Is this an example of reinforcement or punishment?
– Positive or negative?

25. Community
So Close

26. Community
So Close
Parent: Wishing you could make an uninterrupted phone call
to friend and thinking “maybe I could use first, then”...
• I need to call my friend Fred. Can you please play nicely for a few minutes? If you play
quietly then we can play, ok?
• Absolutely Mom!
• Hey Fred! How are…
• Mom! Mom! I can’t reach my toy.
• Here it is honey, but remember I am on the phone. You need to be respectful and then
we’ll play together.
• Ok. ( followed by assorted interruptions)
• You forgot to play nicely honey so we can’t play together right now.
• But, I just was sad because I miss you…
• Ok, just this once…

27. Community
Tips to Make More Effective
• Use for fun more often then for un-fun
• Get buy in for the “then” before you start
• Difference between “First, Then” & “If, Then”
• Be concrete, avoid vague demands
• Watch for hidden junk demands
• Ignore protests or use “you or me” choice
• Avoid repeating yourself
• Moralize at another time!

28. Community
Just Right

29. Community
Just Right
Parent: Wishing you could make an uninterrupted phone call
to friend and thinking “maybe I could use first, then”...
• Look what I have! Your busy basket! What did YOU put in it? Wow, your stacking blocks!
Would you like to play with your stacking blocks?
• Yes!
• Ok! I need to call Fred. First, you play alone for 5 minutes, then I will play with you for 5
minutes. I will not be able to talk to you during the alone minutes.
• I want no alone minutes!
• [set timer] I can’t wait to play with you in 5 minutes. Would you like to say “start” or should
I?
• No alone minutes!
• Okay! I will! “Start” [fake call friend]
• Crying for 5 minutes… [timer beeps]
• Goodbye Fred! 5 alone minutes is all done. It is time for 5 together minutes. Should we
make a town?

30. Community
Just Right
• What did you put in your busy basket?
Wow, blocks & your toy people! Would
you like to build a town? Gave child a concrete “first” &
• Yes! used function of interrupting
• Ok! I need to call Fred. First, you play (attention) as reinforcing “then”
alone for 5 minutes, then I will play with
you for 5 minutes. I will not be able to
talk to you during the alone minutes. Used clear “first, then”
• I want no alone minutes!
• [set timer] I can’t wait to play with you in 5
minutes. Would you like to say “start” or Kept positive
should I?
& offered a “you or me” choice
• No alone minutes!
• Okay! I will! “Start” [fake call friend]
• Crying for 5 minutes… [timer beeps] Faked call to make ignoring
• Goodbye Fred! 5 alone minutes is all
done. It is time for 5 together minutes.
& follow through easier

31. Week 7
Review We Have Come So Far
Community Sure! First, Then
Content What Goes Up…
Collaboration Differential Reinforcement

32. Content
Nuts & Bolts of Behavior
Establishing Extinction &
Operational
Operations & Preference
Definitions
Discriminative Stimuli Assessments
Original
Behavior
Antecedent Consequence
Replacement
Behavior

33. Content
Today’s Gift from Science
Establishing
Operational
Operations &
Definitions
Discriminative Stimuli
Original
Behavior
Antecedent Consequence

34. Content
What Goes Up…
• In other words, if a behavior continues to occur it is
because it continues to work (or has worked for a
long time)
• When the probability of behavior increases as a
result of a consequence we say that behavior has
been reinforced

35. Content
…Can Go Down
• When the probability of behavior decreases as a
result of a consequence we say that behavior has
been punished
• NOTE: A consequence, behaviorally speaking, is
what happens as a result of a behavior – it can
have reinforcing effects, punishing effects, or no
effect

36. Content
Positive Punishment
• Positive = Something is added
• Punishment = Behavior Decreases in Future
Something is Something is
ADDED SUBTRACTED
Probability of
Positive Negative
Behavior
Reinforcement Reinforcement
INCREASES
Probability of
Positive
Behavior
Punishment
DECREASES

37. Content
Positive Punishment
C: Given
A: Asks for B: Sends
role play
video late video
job
We say the behavior (sends late video) was punished
by the consequence (given role play job)
if the future probability of the behavior decreases

38. Content
Negative Punishment
• Negative = Something is added
• Punishment = Behavior Decreases in Future
Something is Something is
ADDED SUBTRACTED
Probability of
Positive Negative
Behavior
Reinforcement Reinforcement
INCREASES
Probability of
Positive Negative
Behavior
Punishment Punishment
DECREASES

39. Content
Negative Punishment
A: Says, C: Bedtime
B: Runs out of
“Stay in room bear taken
bedroom
or else” away
We say the behavior (running out of room) was punished
by the consequence (bear taken away)
if the future probability of the behavior decreases

40. Content
Not-A-Test
• Which of the following could be described as a
consequence? Select ALL that apply.
• politely asking your child to sit on time out after she hit
her brother
• passing your child the milk when she says, “milk please!”
• talking with your child about how it makes you feel when
she hits her brother
• giving your child “the look” but not talking with her after
she hits her brother
• giving your child a big hug after she falls down

41. Content
Not-A-Test
• Which of the following could be described as a
consequence? Select ALL that apply.
• politely asking your child to sit on time out after she hit her brother
• passing your child the milk when she says, “milk please!”
• talking with your child about how it makes you feel when she hits her brother
• giving your child “the look” but not talking with her after she hits her brother
• giving your child a big hug after she falls down
ALL ARE CONSEQUENCES. A consequence is simply what
happens as a result of a behavior, it could be reinforcing or
punishing or have no effect.

42. Content
Not-A-Test
• If a child’s behavior is negatively punished it will
_______________ the future probability of that
behavior.
• increase
• decrease
• not effect

43. Content
Not-A-Test
• If a child’s behavior is negatively punished it will
_______________ the future probability of that
behavior.
•
• decrease
•
DECREASE. Punishment means a behavior is less likely as
a result of a consequence. FYI: Negative punishment =
something “good” was taken away.

44. Content
Not-A-Test
• If a child’s behavior is positively punished it will
_______________ the future probability of that
behavior.
• increase
• decrease
• not effect

45. Content
Not-A-Test
• If a child’s behavior is positively punished it will
_______________ the future probability of that
behavior.
•
• decrease
•
DECREASE. Punishment means a behavior is less likely as
a result of a consequence. FYI: Positive punishment =
something “bad” was added.

46. Week 7
Review We Have Come So Far
Community Sure! First, Then
Content What Goes Up…
Collaboration Differential Reinforcement

47. Content
Collaboration

48. Collaboration
Super Important Perspective
• “Research has shown that the most effective way to
reduce problem behavior in children is to
strengthen desirable behavior through positive
reinforcement rather than trying to weaken
undesirable behavior using aversive or negative
processes.” – Dr. Sidney Bijou

49. Collaboration
Differential Reinforcement
• Evidence-based
• Reinforcement is provided for desired behaviors
but not for undesirable behaviors
• Super effective if you reinforce a desired behavior
that is incompatible with undesirable behavior
– i.e. You can’t grab someone’s work if your hands are
behind your back
• Obvious. But, often very difficult to do!

50. Collaboration
But Isn’t Praise Bad?
• Think about praise as teaching child about how his
social community works
• Social behavior is reinforced by social
reinforcement contingencies
– Why do we say, “Please?”
• What type of things do you find yourself seeking
praise for?
– For me, it is things that I don’t have to do and I don’t
like to do (like emptying the dishwasher when it is not
“my” turn)

51. Collaboration
Specific Praise
• We specifically name what the child is doing that
we would like to see more of
– “Way to go!” becomes “You put away your toys without
me asking!”
• Look to teach behaviors that will be reinforced by
the child’s broader social community
– If child holds door for someone, I might say, “You made
my day easier by holding the door!”

52. Collaboration
If Bad, Then Boring
• If behavior works its future probability will increase
so be boring if you don’t want to accidentally
reinforce a challenging behavior!
– Imitate a robot
– Move child to safe place without an audience
– Use minimal language and eye contact
– Find something to do to keep yourself busy
– You can teach the “moral” at another time

53. Collaboration
At-Home Extension
• DUE ON SUNDAY at MIDNIGHT. No late videos.
– Please send me a video clip of you catching
your child engaging in appropriate behavior
and you specifically praising it
• “Good job!” becomes “You straightening the sheets on your
bed so carefully!”
• “Thanks!” becomes “You made the choice to help our family
get to school on time when you put your shoes on quickly!”