Reinforcers vs. rewards

Technically, a behavioral consequence is a positive reinforcer only if it increases the frequency, intensity, or duration of the targeted behavior. In reality, it is usually impossible to know if tiiis happens. You could give a person recognition, positive feedback, or even a financial bonus, and not influence the behavior you are intending to reward. 

Giving special recognition to someone for following all safety procedures, for example, cannot improve the targeted behaviors because they are already at 100 percent. The financial bonus an individual receives for demonstrating better safety performance last month does not necessarily influence any behavior. The behavior most often reinforced by recognition ceremonies like a steak dinner celebrating a safety milestone is not safety-related behavior but attendance at the dinner. 

A reward might be given long after occurrence of the desir behavior and, therefore, it is xmlikely to have a direct effect on that behavior. Some rewards are not even associated with specific behaviors. For example, the behavior most likely reinforced by awarding companies with a safety improvement placard is someone walking to the stage to receive 

The strict behavioral approach to safety does not recognize much, if any, value in rewards (Daniels, 2000 Malott et al., 1997). If a behavior analyst observes no change in a target behavior when a particular consequence follows it, that consequence is considered useless in that situation and no longer applied. Here is my point. Even if a reward does not improve behavior directly, it has other special benefits. 

From the person-based perspective presented in Section 5 of this Handbook, a positive consequence or reward has value beyond the behavior change. If given genuinely, interpersonal recognition, group celebration, and positive feedback directly improve internal unobservable aspects of people. In a word, they make you feel better. This is a worthwhile outcome by itself. Moreover, it is likely that safety-related behavior will be indirectly improved. 

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