Differential Reinforcement

Differential Reinforcement is the implementation of reinforcing only the appropriate response (or behavior you wish to increase) and applying extinction to all other responses. Extinction is the discontinuing of a reinforcement of a previously reinforced behavior. 

Goals 

        The goal of differential reinforcement is to increase desirable behaviors and decrease undesirable behaviors without the use of punishments. Instead of punishments, differential reinforcement uses extinction, which is the removal of the positive reinforcer that maintains the undesirable behavior. When the mother in the example ignored her child's tantrum, she was practicing extinction. Extinction decreases or reduces undesirable behavior through quick removal of the reinforcer. The reinforcer here was the mother's attention. Once she stopped paying attention to her son, his tantrum stopped. Once the child asked for candy politely (the desirable behavior), his mother started paying attention to him (reinforcement), offered him praise (reinforcement), and purchased the candy bar (reinforcement). It is important to note that the reinforcement is only given after the desirable behavior. Differential reinforcement can be thought of as a blend of extinction and reinforcement. 

Differential Association-Reinforcement Theory

        A Differential Association-Reinforcement Theory of Criminal Behavior (1966), drew upon earlier work by the American criminologist Edwin Sutherland and the American psychologist B.F. Skinner.

        Sutherland focused his theory on learning in a social environment. He further dramatized the idea of cultural conflict in his studies. He proposed nine prepositions of differential association. The main focus of his theory was juvenile delinquents. Edwin Sutherland proposing that through interaction with others, individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior.

        Sutherland’s theory doesn’t account for why an individual becomes a criminal but how it happens. He summarized the principles of differential association theory with nine propositions:

  1. All criminal behavior is learned.
  2. Criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others via a process of communication.
  3. Most learning about criminal behavior happens in intimate personal groups and relationships.
  4. The process of learning criminal behavior may include learning about techniques to carry out the behavior as well as the motives and rationalizations that would justify criminal activity and the attitudes necessary to orient an individual towards such activity.
  5. The direction of motives and drives towards criminal behavior is learned through the interpretation of legal codes in one’s geographical area as favorable or unfavorable.
  6. When the number of favorable interpretations that support violating the law outweigh the unfavorable interpretations that don’t, an individual will choose to become a criminal.
  7. All differential associations aren’t equal. They can vary in frequency, intensity, priority, and duration.
  8. The process of learning criminal behaviors through interactions with others relies on the same mechanisms that are used in learning about any other behavior.
  9. Criminal behavior could be an expression of generalized needs and values, but they don’t explain the behavior because non-criminal behavior expresses the same needs and values.

        Sutherland’s theory was highly criticized as being difficult to measure and hard to test. During the 1950s and the 1960s there had been a number of new theories in the sociology world. In 1965 Ronald Akers an assistant professor at the University of Washington and Robert Burgess came together to introduce a new theory (Criminology 2). They published an article on “Differential Association Reinforcement Theory of Criminal Behavior (Burgess, Akers 1966).” They re-evaluated Sutherland’s theory about differential association using behaviorism. They tried to incorporate the psychological principles of operant conditioning and held that even non social effects can reinforce criminal behavior (O’Connor 3).

        According to Akers (1985) people are first indoctrinated into deviant behavior by differential association with deviant peers. Then through differential reinforcement, they learn how to reap rewards and avoid punishment in reference to the actual or anticipated consequences of given behavior (O’Connor 3). The consequences are said to be social and nonsocial reinforcement that further applies to a criminal’s future.

    An example, of a child learning how to speak was used. A child’s vocalization is reinforced by the parent. The pattern or schedule of reinforcement is also important. 


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