Which differential reinforcement procedure provides the functional reinforcer contingent on a specific alternative/replacement behavior while withholding it contingent on the target negative behavior?

• A. Differential Reinforcement Procedures
• B. Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviors (DRA)
• C. Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviors (DRO)
• D. Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviors (DRI)

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is reinforcing a useful replacement behavior while withholding reinforcement for the problem behavior. In this approach, you identify a specific alternative behavior that serves the same function as the target negative behavior (for example, the same goal the person is seeking with the problem behavior) and you provide the functional reinforcer only when that alternative behavior occurs. If the individual engages in the target behavior, reinforcement is not given, making that behavior less likely over time.

This is what makes the alternative-behavior differential reinforcement the best fit. It explicitly ties the reinforcer to a chosen, appropriate action that can replace the problem behavior, guiding the learner toward a more adaptive response. Other differential reinforcement procedures differ in focus: reinforcing a behavior that is physically incompatible with the problem behavior, reinforcing any behavior other than the problem behavior without specifying a replacement, or simply reducing the rate of the behavior without teaching a replacement. The described approach targets a specific replacement and withholds reinforcement for the negative behavior, aligning with the idea of differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors.