Which statement describes that differential reinforcement procedures can be implemented as an all-or-nothing arrangement or along a gradient?

• 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: (A)

The idea here is that differential reinforcement strategies can be applied in two general ways: an all-or-nothing approach or a gradient approach. In an all-or-nothing setup, you reinforce a specific behavior (or a set of behaviors) and withhold reinforcement for the problem behavior, effectively making the reinforcement contingent entirely on the desired response or its complete absence. In a gradient approach, you progressively shift the criteria or the level of reinforcement, shaping toward the target behavior by reinforcing closer and closer approximations or by gradually changing what counts as an acceptable response. This flexible application is a hallmark of differential reinforcement procedures as a family, not limited to any single subtype. Different forms—such as reinforcing an alternative behavior, reinforcing any behavior other than the problem one, or reinforcing only incompatible actions—all operate within this same framework of differential reinforcement, just with different target criteria.