Abby is being taught how to count to five. The teacher has selected a puzzle as a consequence for correct responses. Abby counts to five the first time she is asked, and the teacher hands her the puzzle. The next several times, Abby responds incorrectly. In this example, the puzzle is serving as a reinforcer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The puzzle is serving as a consequence, not a reinforcer. A reinforcer is something that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, while a consequence is something that follows a behavior and can either increase or decrease the likelihood of the behavior being repeated. In this case, the puzzle is a consequence because it is given to Abby after she counts to five correctly. This does not increase the likelihood of Abby counting to five correctly in the future, so it is not a reinforcer.

Abby Is Being Taught How to Count to Five