What is the purpose of discrimination training?

Discrimination training is centered around reinforcing specific behaviors while providing little to no reinforcement for others, leading to a clear understanding of the desired response in distinct situations. The primary goal is to teach individuals to distinguish between different stimuli and respond appropriately based on those differences.

When reinforcement is applied solely to the correct behaviors—those that align with specific conditions or stimuli—it strengthens the connection between the behavior and the positive outcome. This focused form of reinforcement encourages the individual to consistently perform the appropriate behavior in similar contexts while minimizing the likelihood of other, less adaptive responses.

Discrimination training is integral in shaping behavior, especially in contexts like applied behavior analysis, as it helps individuals learn to identify cues that signal which behaviors are acceptable or desired, thereby promoting effective decision-making in various environments.