The reinforcement plan includes which elements?

• A. The types of reinforcers to use, the schedule of reinforcement, and plans for fading reinforcers.
• B. Data collection forms and interobserver agreement procedures.
• C. Steps for error correction and redirection.
• D. A list of session notes to review.

Answer: (A)

When you design a reinforcement plan, you specify which reinforcers will be used, how often reinforcement is delivered, and how you’ll fade those reinforcers over time. Choosing reinforcers involves understanding the learner’s preferences and what currently serves as a motivation, ensuring the chosen stimuli reliably strengthen the desired behavior. The schedule of reinforcement sets the rule for when a reward is given—starting with consistent reinforcement to establish the behavior, then thinning to intermittent reinforcement to promote maintenance and resistance to extinction. Fading reinforcers is about gradually reducing how often or how strongly rewards are provided, or transitioning to more natural consequences, so the behavior persists even without constant external rewards. Elements like data collection and IOA procedures, error correction steps, or session notes play important roles in broader practice, but they aren’t the components of the reinforcement plan itself.