Response cost
A negative punishment procedure in which a specific amount of a reinforcer, such as tokens or points, is removed contingent on a behavior, reducing that behavior.
Response cost means losing a set amount of a reinforcer each time a specified behavior occurs. It is most often part of a token economy: the learner loses a token or points for a defined problem behavior. Because something is taken away and the behavior decreases in the future, response cost is a form of negative punishment. If the behavior does not decrease, the procedure is not functioning as punishment for that learner.
A workable response cost system states in advance which behaviors cost what, and the cost amount is fixed so it is applied consistently. The learner should have a reserve of reinforcers to lose; if the learner has no tokens left, the procedure cannot work and may cause frustration. Plans usually keep the earning rate well above the cost rate so the system stays mostly positive.
Like other punishment procedures, response cost can produce side effects such as emotional responding, arguing, or avoiding the person or setting. The RBT Ethics Code (2.0) says RBTs use punishment-based procedures only when they are included in a documented behavior-change plan and after the supervisor has verified competence. The RBT removes the stated amount calmly and without extra commentary, records each instance, and reports side effects or a growing token debt to the supervisor.
Response cost removes a specific amount of reinforcer. It does not remove the learner from reinforcement for a period of time; that is time-out.
Example and non-example
| Example | A plan states that a student loses 1 point from their point card each time they swear during group. The RBT crosses off a point, records the event and continues the lesson. Swearing decreases over the next weeks. |
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| Non-example | A client throws a toy and the RBT has them sit away from the play area for 2 minutes. Access to reinforcement is removed for a period of time, which is time-out, not response cost. |
Don't confuse it with
| Time-out (from positive reinforcement) | Time-out removes access to reinforcement for a period of time, while response cost removes a fixed amount of a reinforcer the learner already has. |
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| Extinction | Extinction withholds the reinforcer that maintains the behavior, while response cost takes away a different reinforcer the learner already earned. |
Test yourself
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Question 1An RBT thinks that removing a token after each instance of aggression might help a client's token system work better. What should the RBT do?
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A: Suggest the idea to the supervisor and keep implementing the current plan.. Removing tokens is response cost, a punishment procedure. Adding it is a change to the plan, so the RBT shares the suggestion with the supervisor and keeps following the current plan.
- B: Adding a punishment procedure without the supervisor's direction goes beyond the RBT's role.
- C: A trial run is still an unauthorized change to the plan.
- D: Caregiver permission does not replace the supervisor's clinical decision.
Task C.2 · 40-hour curriculum section E
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Question 2In a token economy, the plan says one token is removed each time the client throws materials, and throwing then decreases. What is this procedure called?
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D: Response cost, a form of negative punishment. Removing a set amount of an earned reinforcer, such as tokens, after a behavior is response cost. Because something is taken away and the behavior decreases, it is negative punishment.
- A: Extinction withholds the reinforcer that maintained the behavior; it does not take away earned tokens.
- B: Time-out removes access to reinforcement for a period of time, not a set number of earned tokens.
- C: Positive punishment adds a stimulus after behavior; here tokens are taken away.
Task C.11 · 40-hour curriculum section E
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Question 3A client's plan includes response cost of one token for each instance of hitting. The client hits once. How should the RBT carry this out?
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C: Calmly remove one token right away, without lecturing. Response cost should be carried out exactly as written: the specified amount, right after the behavior, in a calm and neutral way. Extra talk or attention can itself reinforce problem behavior.
- A: Removing more tokens than the plan specifies changes the procedure and may increase emotional responding.
- B: A long delay weakens the link between the behavior and the consequence.
- D: Repeated warnings are not part of the plan and change the procedure.
Task C.11 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Answer every question to see your score.
On the RBT exam
This term belongs to task C.11 Token economies in content area C, Behavior Acquisition, which is 19 of the 75 scored questions.