What does Differential Reinforcement (DR) emphasize?

• A. Rewarding different value rewards reflecting the quality of the performance (e.g., higher rewards for precision).
• B. Rewarding every correct response equally.
• C. Punishing mistakes to shape behavior.
• D. Reducing reinforcement frequency.

Answer: (A)

Differential reinforcement centers on delivering reinforcement in proportion to how well the behavior is performed. When the dog shows a high-precision or higher-quality response, they receive a higher-value reward or more reinforcement; if the performance is lower quality, the reward is smaller or withheld. This encourages the learner to improve toward the top criterion. It’s not about rewarding every correct response equally, punishing mistakes, or just thinning reinforcement in general—the emphasis is on differentiating the reinforcement based on the quality of the response.