What does continuous reinforcement involve?

Continuous reinforcement involves providing a reinforcement every time a specific behavior occurs. This approach is particularly effective when initially teaching a new behavior or skill, as it helps the individual clearly associate the behavior with the resulting reinforcement. The consistent delivery of reinforcement strengthens the learning process, making it more likely that the behavior will be repeated in the future.

Using continuous reinforcement can be an essential strategy in behavior modification, especially in settings focused on skill acquisition, such as those often found in autism services. Ensuring that reinforcement is provided every time the desired behavior is exhibited creates a strong link between the behavior and its positive outcome, facilitating quicker learning.

In contrast, the idea of reinforcing behavior only occasionally is characteristic of intermittent reinforcement, which is often used to maintain behaviors that have already been learned. Reinforcing behavior after a set period or based on success rates provides structure but doesn't emphasize the immediate connection that continuous reinforcement delivers for new behavior acquisition.