Rainy River District School Board - 522 Second Street East - Fort Frances, Ontario - P9A 1N4 - (807) 274-9855
When utilizing positive reinforcement, the type of reinforcer used, as well as the presentation schedule or schedule of
reinforcement (when and how to reinforce) can impact the strength of a student response. A schedule of
reinforcement outlines how often reinforcement is provided for appropriate behaviour. The specific schedule used is
dependent on the behaviour and situation in which
the behaviour is being utilized. In the classroom,
continuous reinforcement may not be easily
implemented and the better option may be a specific
ratio, or interval schedule. In other situations, one
may begin with a continuous reinforcement schedule
to teach a specific skill and then switch to a ratio or
interval schedule once the skill has been learned.
The goal of utilizing reinforcement is to increase the
likelihood that the behaviour will occur again in the
future,; therefore, consideration needs to be taken
into account as to what best meets the needs of the
student. Choosing the wrong type of reinforcement
schedule can be detrimental to improving behaviour.
Continuous Reinforcement (CRF)
Continuous reinforcement (CRF) is the delivery of a reinforcer on a continuous basis. Reinforcement is provided each
time the student exhibits a specific behaviour. It provides the student with a high “thick” ratio of reinforcement,
establishes an association between behaviour and reinforcement, and also has a positive effect on the student’s rate of
responding. Continuous rates of reinforcement are most effective during the early stages of any reinforcement
program and are best used when students are learning new skills/behaviours. To support the maintenance of a skill
once it has been learned, an intermittent schedule should be introduced. A withdrawal of continuous reinforcement
without the implementation of an intermittent schedule can result in a rapid decrease of the target skill/behaviour.
Intermittent Reinforcement
Intermittent, also referred to as partial reinforcement, follows some but not all responses of a specific behaviour. New
skills/behaviours are acquired more slowly using an intermittent reinforcement versus continuous reinforcement;
however, intermittent schedules do support the maintenance of positive behaviours over time, prevents satiation of
reinforcement, teaches delayed gratification, and behaviours are less likely to decrease once reinforcement is removed.
Intermittent schedules can be categorized into a ratio or an interval schedule at a fixed or variable rate (please see
reverse). A ratio schedule requires that a completion of a number of responses occur before reinforcement is received,
where as an interval schedule requires the occurrence of at least one correct response after a set period of time before
reinforcement is received.
Rainy River District School Board
Schedules of Reinforcement
ABA in the Classroom
“The way positive reinforcement is carried out is more important than the amount.”
~ B.F. Skinner
