Applied Behavior Analysis Technician (ABAT) Practice Test

Intermittent reinforcement plays a significant role in shaping and maintaining behavior due to its unpredictable nature. When a response is reinforced only some of the time, rather than every time it occurs, this type of reinforcement creates a scenario where the individual does not know when the next reinforcement will happen. This uncertainty often leads to a more persistent behavior, as individuals continue to engage in the behavior in anticipation of reinforcement.

For example, consider a child who receives praise for cleaning their room only on certain occasions. This unpredictability may motivate the child to clean their room more frequently, as they are unsure when the next instance of praise might occur. Thus, the element of surprise involved in intermittent reinforcement can strengthen the behavior over time, making it more resilient even if reinforcement is not consistently provided.

In contrast, options suggesting no impact or predictable behavior indicate a misunderstanding of how behavior is shaped through reinforcement schedules, and stating it only reinforces negative behavior limits the broader applications of intermittent reinforcement across both positive and negative behaviors.