Discriminative Properties of Reinforcers Modulate Resurgence: Evidence from a Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Behavioral psychology
• Learning sciences
• Reinforcement theory

Background:

• Behavioral resurgence is a complex phenomenon explained by various theoretical frameworks.
• The contextual account suggests reinforcer properties influence relapse based on prior learning.
• This account is increasingly supported by basic and translational research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review studies examining the contextual account of behavioral resurgence.
• To analyze the impact of reinforcer characteristics on relapse in a three-phase experimental design.
• To identify future research directions for understanding and applying the contextual account.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of six studies with seven experiments.
• Included studies used a three-phase design: target response reinforcement, alternative response reinforcement, and extinction.
• Summarized participant characteristics, experimental designs, reinforcement schedules, and reinforcer types.

Main Results:

• Preliminary evidence indicates that the discriminative properties of reinforcers modulate behavioral resurgence.
• Findings suggest that how reinforcers are perceived and learned influences relapse.
• The type of reinforcer may impact the likelihood and intensity of resurgence.

Conclusions:

• The contextual account of resurgence is supported by the reviewed literature.
• Further research is needed to explore incentivized choice, digital vs. physical reinforcers, and intervention applications.
• Understanding reinforcer properties is crucial for developing effective function-informed interventions for behavioral change.