How does the non-contingent delivery of a reinforcer produce accidental or superstitious learning? In other words, when a reinforcer is delivered according to a specific time and NOT based on any specific behavior (such as in NCR or DRO), what can happen to the learners behavior?
The non-contingent delivery of a reinforcer, which occurs independently of any specific behavior, can lead to accidental or superstitious learning. This phenomenon happens when learners erroneously associate their actions with the delivery of the reinforcer, even though the reinforcer is not contingent on their behavior. Here’s a closer look at how this occurs and its implications:
- Non-Contingent Reinforcement (NCR):
- In NCR, reinforcers are provided at fixed intervals regardless of the individual’s behavior. For example, a student might receive praise or a treat every 10 minutes, irrespective of what they are doing at that time.
- Learners may start to believe that certain actions they were performing at the time of reinforcement are responsible for the reward. As a result, they might repeat those behaviors in the future, expecting the same outcome.
- Superstitious Learning:
- This type of learning occurs when behaviors that are not causally related to the reinforcement are repeated. The learner mistakenly believes there is a connection between their action and the reinforcer.
- For example, if a pigeon is given food every 15 seconds, it might start associating a specific action, such as turning in circles, with receiving food, even though the food delivery is time-based and not behavior-based.
- Behavioral Consequences:
- Increased Frequency of Irrelevant Behaviors: Learners may increase the frequency of irrelevant or random behaviors, believing these behaviors lead to reinforcement.
- Persistence of Superstitious Behaviors: Once superstitious behaviors are established, they can be persistent and resistant to change, as the learner continues to expect reinforcement for these actions.
- Potential for Decreased Efficiency: If learners focus on superstitious behaviors, it may reduce the efficiency and effectiveness of their learning or task performance, as they may not be engaging in the desired or productive behaviors.
- DRO (Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior):
- In DRO, reinforcement is given if a specific undesired behavior does not occur within a set period. This approach aims to reduce the frequency of the problematic behavior by reinforcing the absence of that behavior.
- Although the goal is to decrease undesirable behavior, learners might inadvertently start to associate other, non-targeted behaviors with reinforcement. This can lead to an increase in those non-targeted behaviors, even if they are not particularly desired.
In summary, the non-contingent delivery of reinforcers can lead to accidental or superstitious learning by creating associations between random behaviors and reinforcement. This can result in the persistence of irrelevant behaviors and potentially hinder the learning process by diverting attention from the desired behaviors.