Pairing
Presenting a neutral stimulus together with, or just before, an established reinforcer so that the neutral stimulus comes to function as a conditioned reinforcer.
Pairing is how conditioned reinforcers are established. A neutral stimulus, such as a word of praise, a token or a sound, is presented immediately before or along with something that is already reinforcing. After repeated pairings, the neutral stimulus begins to work as a reinforcer on its own. For example, an RBT says "Nice!" and immediately hands over a favorite toy, many times, until "Nice!" alone strengthens behavior.
The order matters. The new stimulus should come just before or at the same time as the established reinforcer, so that it predicts the reinforcer. Delivering it long after the reinforcer, or presenting it often without the reinforcer, makes pairing less effective.
The word is also used for building rapport, often called pairing yourself with reinforcement. At the start of services, the RBT spends time giving the client access to preferred items and activities while placing few or no demands. Over time the RBT becomes associated with good things, which makes it more likely that the client approaches the RBT and that the RBT's praise and attention function as reinforcers. The 40-hour curriculum lists building rapport as part of preparing the client for service delivery.
Pairing is not a one-time event. Conditioned reinforcers and rapport stay strong only if they continue to be followed by reinforcement at least some of the time.
Example and non-example
| Example | In the first sessions with a new client, the RBT joins the client's train play, adds fun sound effects, and hands over more train pieces, without giving instructions, so that the RBT becomes associated with access to reinforcers. |
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| Non-example | The RBT praises a child after every response for weeks but never follows praise with anything the child values, and the child shows no interest in praise. Praise alone, with no established reinforcer, is not pairing. |
Don't confuse it with
| Positive reinforcement | Positive reinforcement is a consequence that strengthens a behavior; pairing is an arrangement of two stimuli that gives a neutral stimulus reinforcing value. |
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Test yourself
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Question 1An RBT meets a new client and spends the first part of the session playing and sharing favorite toys before starting any assessment items. Why is this useful?
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A: A comfortable client is more likely to respond, so results are more accurate. Building rapport makes the RBT and the assessment situation less aversive. A client who is willing to take part shows their real skills more reliably.
- B: Items should not be skipped because the RBT assumes the client knows them.
- C: Rapport building is preparation, not a scored item.
- D: Rapport helps before any assessment or teaching session.
Task B.2 · 40-hour curriculum section D · 40-hour curriculum section B
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Question 2What is a conditioned reinforcer?
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C: A stimulus that reinforces because it has been paired with other reinforcers. A conditioned (secondary) reinforcer is a stimulus that was once neutral and became a reinforcer through pairing with one or more existing reinforcers. Praise, tokens and money are common examples.
- A: A stimulus that reinforces without any learning history is an unconditioned reinforcer.
- B: A stimulus that signals reinforcement is not available is an S-delta.
- D: Delivering a stimulus on a time schedule regardless of behavior describes noncontingent reinforcement.
Task C.2 · 40-hour curriculum section E
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Question 3At the start of services with a new client, the plan directs the RBT to "pair" themselves with reinforcement. Which action fits this direction?
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C: Join the client's preferred activities and offer preferred items while placing few or no demands. Pairing the RBT with reinforcement means the RBT's presence is reliably associated with access to preferred items and activities, with few demands at first. Over time, the RBT and their attention can become conditioned reinforcers.
- A: Placing many demands right away associates the RBT with work rather than with reinforcement.
- B: Ignoring the client does not associate the RBT with reinforcement.
- D: Delivering tokens for compliance is a token system, not pairing the RBT with reinforcement before demands begin.
Task C.2 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Answer every question to see your score.
On the RBT exam
This term belongs to task C.2 Conditioned reinforcers in content area C, Behavior Acquisition, which is 19 of the 75 scored questions.