Alternative response training, differential reinforcement of other behavior, and extinction in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus).
Reinforcing a clear alternative response beats DRO or plain extinction for fast, thorough behavior reduction.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Scientists worked with three squirrel monkeys. Each monkey pressed a lever for food. The team then tried three ways to stop the pressing.
One way was plain extinction: food stopped. Another way was DRO: food came only if the monkey did not press for 15 seconds. The third way was alternative-response training: the monkeys earned food by pulling a chain instead of pressing the lever.
What they found
Pulling the chain plus extinction cut lever pressing the fastest. Pressing dropped to near zero in every monkey. DRO worked slower and never reached zero. Plain extinction took the longest.
When the chain pulling no longer paid off, lever pressing crept back a little. Still, the brief recovery was far less than with the other two plans.
How this fits with other research
Bensemann et al. (2015) saw a hidden cost of DRO. In 13 human adults, DRO lowered the target response but accidentally raised other, untargeted behavior. The monkey study did not track "other" behavior, so the two papers together warn us: DRO can work yet still strengthen unwanted moves.
Allison et al. (2012) moved the same idea to feeding therapy. Preschoolers with autism received food for accepting bites (DRA) or received food on a timer (NCR). Both cut food refusal, but parents liked the timer plan better. The 1976 lab result holds in real kids, yet caregiver preference now shapes the final choice.
Thrailkill et al. (2018) showed why recovery happens. Rich reinforcement during training sets the stage for bigger relapse later. The monkeys' brief bounce-back fits this rule: once the rich alternative payoff ended, some pressing returned.
Why it matters
When you need quick suppression, pick a specific replacement behavior and reinforce it hard. DRO is easier to run but can feed other problems you are not watching. Plan for a small relapse when the alternative payoff stops; either taper the reinforcement or keep brief booster sessions ready.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
In Experiment I, (a) extinction, (b) extinction plus reinforcement of a discrete alternative response, and (c) differential reinforcement of other behavior were each correlated with a different stimulus in a three-component multiple schedule. The alternative-response procedure more rapidly and completely suppressed behavior than did differential reinforcement of other behavior. Differential reinforcement of other behavior was slightly more effective than extinction alone. In Experiment II, reinforcement of specific alternative behavior during extinction and differential reinforcement of other behavior were used in two components, while one component continued to provide reinforcement for the original response. Once again, the alternative-response procedure was most effective in reducing responding as long as it remained in effect. However, the responding partially recovered when reinforcement for competing behavior was discontinued. In general, responding was less readily reduced by differential reinforcement of other behavior than by the specific alternative-response procedure.
Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, 1976 · doi:10.1901/jeab.1976.25-311