When your child refuses to tidy their toys, yanks their sibling’s hair, or throws a fit, the last thing you might want to do is offer a reward. We completely understand how frustrating that can feel. However, acknowledging and reinforcing positive behavior when it occurs — which may involve giving a reward — can significantly increase the chances of that behavior being repeated in the future. This concept falls under operant conditioning, a learning method where behaviors change based on their consequences. As a parent, using reinforcement can help encourage desirable actions, such as cleaning up toys and avoiding sibling conflicts. One particularly effective type of reinforcement is intermittent reinforcement.
Once a new behavior is established, parents can utilize intermittent reinforcement to further strengthen that behavior. Unlike continuous reinforcement, where a child receives a reward every time they exhibit the desired behavior, intermittent reinforcement involves rewarding the correct behavior only occasionally.
What is Intermittent Reinforcement?
Intermittent reinforcement is a schedule where rewards or punishments are given sporadically for desired behaviors. In contrast, continuous reinforcement means a child receives a reward each time they act as desired. For example, under continuous reinforcement, a child might receive an additional hour of screen time every time they finish their math homework. In an intermittent schedule, they would earn screen time for completing their homework — but only occasionally and unpredictably.
What Does an Intermittent Reinforcement Schedule Look Like?
In an intermittent reinforcement schedule, varying amounts of time are allowed to pass before the reinforcement is given. While the reward remains the same (like an hour of screen time after finishing homework), the timing of the reinforcement varies randomly. This unpredictability encourages your child to consistently complete their homework, as they won’t know when they will earn their reward next.
Why Does This Work?
Consider this: if you received a reward every time you did something, and then it suddenly stopped, you’d likely revert to your old habits. However, if you knew that the reward would come again, you’d be less inclined to quit. Similarly, with intermittent reinforcement, the possibility of receiving a reward encourages your child to maintain their behavior since they know it can happen at any time.
Intermittent reinforcement is typically more effective than continuous reinforcement because it keeps motivation high. The allure of an unpredictable reward drives individuals to continue their efforts. There are four types of intermittent schedules, categorized into two groups: interval (time-based) and ratio (response-based). The four schedules include:
- Fixed Interval Schedule: A response is rewarded after a specific amount of time.
- Fixed Ratio Schedule: A reward occurs after a set number of responses.
- Variable Interval Schedule: A reward is given after an unpredictable amount of time.
- Variable Ratio Schedule: A reward is provided after a random number of responses.
Examples of Intermittent Reinforcement
An easily relatable example of intermittent reinforcement is playing arcade games. Your child won’t win every time or the same number of tickets, resulting in an intermittent reward that creates excitement. Similarly, when fishing, the hope of catching a big fish keeps your child eager to go back, even if success isn’t guaranteed.
From a parenting angle, consider a scenario where you discipline your child for public tantrums occasionally. If you always give a toy when they misbehave, that would be continuous reinforcement. However, if your discipline is sporadic — perhaps only when you have the time — this represents intermittent reinforcement.
Real-Life Scenarios
For a child aged 4 to 7, consider these examples:
- Your child is on their iPad. When you ask them to stop, they plead for five more minutes. You give in one night but deny it the next, leading to frustration.
- During their birthday week, you give extra dessert, but when they ask for more the following week, you refuse, causing disappointment.
For children aged 8 to 10:
- After preparing lunch, your child asks to swap a healthy item for a snack. You initially refuse, but after a week, you relent.
- When running errands, your child requests your phone. You let them use it once, but when they ask again during the next trip, you say no, prompting a tantrum.
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Summary
Intermittent reinforcement can be a powerful tool in parenting. By rewarding desired behaviors unpredictably, you can encourage your child to maintain those behaviors over time. This method is rooted in operant conditioning and can lead to more effective and lasting results than constant reinforcement.
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