Friday, August 17, 2012

Parents often want to know what is the best reward system to use with children to get them to start a new behavior.  I have already said in previous blogs that I prefer to use time and attention rewards over money rewards.  Whatever you use for rewards it is important that you use an effective pattern and a desirable reward. The exercise below may help make my point. 


Can You Read This?

xzyIFplmnYOUjhgeklmsxtCANpvnmstitlmREADlmditsthieowmsmcnetTHISmdlicngdtomkcieingmicoancmeaignklyYOUmlimefnkzpcioHAVEmekl;ioicintjl;ibBEENoi;mclakndfkdklfja;odifjdgnithREINFORCEDdl;aksdmvionnc;vinaINTERMITTENTLYds;mdfaoiengnoi.


If  you just skipped down here to read this, then the reinforcement reward that was used above just wasn't rewarding enough.  It is important to keep this lesson in mind when using rewards with children.  'Intermittent" (an irregular pattern) reinforcement is the best kind of reinforcement pattern to train someone in a new behavior.  However, the reinforcement pattern needs to be frequent at first and the reward must be a desired reward or it will be ineffective. 




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