REINFORCEMENT AND FEEDBACK Matt Vaartstra University of Idaho Edited from Damon Burton

REINFORCEMENT TERMINOLOGY What is reinforcement? What is punishment? What is extinction? What is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement? What is the difference between punishment and response-cost punishment?

5 BASIC RESPONSE CONSEQUENCES Present Remove Extinction (weakens behavior) Response Cost Punishment Positive Stimuli Positive Reinforcement (strengthens behavior) Negative Reinforcement (strengthens behavior) Aversive Stimuli Punishment (suppresses/weakens behavior)

WHAT IS REINFORCEMENT? Reinforcement – is anything that increases likelihood that a behavior will occur in the future under the same conditions. It may enhance both the quantity and/or quality of a behavior. For example, telling an athlete “good job” when she masters a new skill. For example, increasing an athlete’s playing time for their hard work in practice.

TYPES OF SPORT REINFORCEMENT What is the most frequently used reinforcer in sport? verbal praise What is the most powerful reinforcer in sport? playing time

WHAT IS PUNISHMENT? Punishment – is the presentation of an aversive stimuli in order to decrease the quantity and/or quality of a behavior. For example: Criticizing an athlete who is not paying attention. Suspending an athlete from the team for 4 games for breaking team rules.

TYPES OF SPORT PUNISHMENT What is the most frequently used punishment in sport? stern rebuke What is the most powerful punishment in sport? lack of playing time, suspension or dismissal from team

EXTINCTION Extinction – removal of a positive stimulus that has in the past followed certain behavioral results. For example, when an athlete no longer get attention for being the “team clown,” his showoff behavior will normally decrease.

POSITIVE VERSUS NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT Positive reinforcement – present or add positive stimuli in order to increase the likelihood that the behavior, (i.e., quantity, quality, or both) will occur under the same conditions. Example? Negative reinforcement – remove or take away an aversive stimuli in order to strengthen a behavior that results in successful avoidance. It could change both the quantity and quality of a behavior.

TWO FORMS OF PUNISHMENT Punishment entails presentation of aversive stimuli with the effect of suppressing the behavior. Example? Response Cost Punishment – contingently taking away something valued by the athlete.

NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS OF PUNISHMENT Punishment promotes fear and can prompt athletes to become motivated by “fear of failure.” Develops an unpleasant team climate that reduces enjoyment Reduces coach’s ability to be a good “role model” Inhibits ability to develop good coach-athlete relationships

WHY AVERSIVE CONTROL COACHES SUCCEED They communicate caring for players as people so “abuse is not taken personally.” They recruit talented athletes. They recruit “thick-skinned” athletes who are less bothered by abuse. They are skilled teachers and tacticians who can overcome the abuse.

POSITIVE CONTROL COACHES Like John Wooden, they view mistakes as the “stepping stones to achievement.” Emphasis is on improving skills rather than “not screwing up.” Most top coaches and teachers use a very high percentage of positive reinforcement (i.e., 80-90%) and a minimal amount of punishment.

WHY POSITIVE CONTROL COACHES SUCCEED Foster a positive learning environment in which mistakes are viewed as a valuable part of learning. Promote positive coach-athlete relationships. Athletes like coaches more. Athletes enjoy sport experience more. Create high team cohesion. Athletes perform better.

HOW REINFORCEMENT ENHANCES BEHAVIOR Find a reinforcer that works for each athlete Make reinforcement dependent on performing the desired behavior Make sure the athlete specifically understands why the reinforcement is being given

WHAT IS “SHAPING?” “Shaping” – is the process of using reinforcement to gradually enhance performance using operant conditioning principles. Operant conditioning – the process of allowing an animal to operate in its environment until it performs correctly and then reinforce them for it to motivate them to repeat the desired behavior

“SHAPING” -- HUMAN OPERANT CONDITIONING Shaping – breaks down a complex skill into a series of manageable parts or goals and systematically uses reinforcement to gradually improve performance. Each time the first goal is attained, the individual is reward immediate reinforcement reinforced every time

“SHAPING” -- HUMAN OPERANT CONDITIONING Shaping is “catching athletes doing something well or at least better.” Gradually reinforcement is modified to enhance retention delayed reinforcement reinforce every 3, 5, 7, & 9 times Once Goal 1 is mastered, then shaping moves on to Step 2 and the process repeats

REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES Continuous schedules – reinforce immediately and every time and they enhance immediate motivation. Intermittent schedules – reinforcement is delayed and occurs on a schedule such as every 3rd, 5th, 7th, or 9th time in order to enhance long-term motivation and retention.

WHAT TO REINFORCE Effort Learning new material Skill improvement Mental preparation Strategy selection and use Reaching goals

SHAPING PROCESS B 4 3 Shaping – start with Step 1 and work on it until behavior is consistent and then move to Step 2, then Step 3 and finally Step 4 2 1 A

FOOTBALL SHAPING EXAMPLE Komaki & Barnett (1977) identified 3 offensive plays that were each broken down into 5 stages judged crucial for overall play execution. For one play, the 5 stages included: Quarterback-center exchange Quarterback-right halfback fake Fullback blocking the end Quarterback decision to pitch or keep Quarterback action

BEHAVIORAL COACHING PROCEDURES Execute the play and “freeze” on the whistle. Coach judges correct execution and says “freeze” if incorrect. Coach describes the incorrect behavior. Coach models the correct behavior. Athletes imitate correct behavior and feel what good position should be.

FOOTBALL SHAPING EXAMPLE Each time the play was run, the coach checked off which stages of the play were executed successfully. Reinforcement was given to players for the stages run successfully. Performance increased significantly for each of the 3 plays following shaping (~20%). Systematic reinforcement can be a great performance enhancement strategy.

REINFORCEMENT AND INTRINSIC MOTIVATION Self-Determination Theory – confirms that reinforcement doesn’t have to reduce intrinsic motivation as long as it is given to: Recognize increased competence Enhance greater levels of self-determination Contingent rewards promote IM

MOTIVATIONAL CLIMATE Shaping creates a mastery-oriented motivational climate that fosters IM, learning, and improvement. Outcome-based rewards promote an ego-oriented motivation climate that prompts overemphasis on winning, fear of failure, underdevelopment, and underachievement

PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK 75% of John Wooden’s feedback to his team was instructional in nature. Feedback motivates directly. Feedback can also focus attention enhance effort promote persistence stimulate use of new task strategies

BEHAVIORAL COACHING Teach skills in a way that allows for greater opportunities to use reinforcement. Emphasis is on systematically making closer and closer approximations of correct technique and form. Understand correct form and focus on what it feels like.