What type of contingency is it?

Now that you have diagrammed the contingency according to the above criteria, it is time to determine what type of contingency you have. Use the following table to ensure correct identification of your contingency diagram.

Contingency Table

Basic Contingencies / Prevention Contingencies
Present / Remove / Prevent Presentation / Prevent Removal
Reinforcer / Reinforcement by the presentation of a reinforcer
(Reinforcement)
  • Is a reinforcer presented immediately after the response?
  • Is the reinforcer contingent on the response? (Would the presentation of the reinforcer still occur if the behavior did not occur?)
  • Will the frequency of the response increase?
/ Punishment by the removal of a reinforcer
(Penalty)
  • Is the reinforcer removed immediately after the response?
  • Is the removal of the reinforcer contingent on the response? (Would the reinforcer still be removed if the behavior did not occur?)
  • Will the frequency of the response decrease?
/ Punishment by the prevention of a reinforcer
  • Does the response immediately prevent the presentation of a reinforcer?
  • Is the prevention of the presentation of the reinforcer contingent on the response? (Would the presentation of the reinforcer still occur if the behavior did not occur?)
  • Will the frequency of the response decrease?
/ Reinforcement by the prevention of the removal of a reinforcer
(Avoidance)
  • Does the response immediately prevent the loss of (or removal of opportunity for) a reinforcer?
  • Is the avoidance of the loss of the reinforcer contingent on the response? (Would the reinforcer still be removed if the behavior did not occur?
  • Will the frequency of the response increase?

Aversive Condition / Punishment by the presentation of an aversive condition
(Punishment)
  • Is an aversive condition presented immediately after the response?
  • Is the aversive condition contingent on the response? (Would the presentation of the aversive condition still occur if the behavior did not occur?)
  • Will the frequency of the response decrease?
/ Reinforcement by the removal of an aversive condition
(Escape)
  • Is an aversive condition removed immediately after the response?
  • Is the removal of the aversive condition contingent on the response? (Would the aversive condition still be removed if the behavior did not occur?)
  • Will the frequency of the response increase?
/ Reinforcement by the prevention of the presentation of an aversive condition (Avoidance)
  • Does the response immediately prevent the presentation of an aversive condition?
  • Is the avoidance of the aversive condition contingent on the response? (Would the presentation of the aversive condition sill occur if the behavior did not occur?)
  • Will the frequency of the response increase?
/ Punishment by the prevention of the removal of an aversive condition
  • Does the response immediately prevent the removal of an aversive condition?
  • Is the prevention of removal of the aversive condition contingent on the response? (Would the aversive condition still be removed if the behavior did occur?)
  • Will the frequency of the response decrease?

If the before and after conditions are the same (i.e., no stimulus is presented or removed) then your diagram is extinction or recovery. Note that although extinction and recovery arenot technically contingencies, this Contingency-Diagramming Checklist can also be used to evaluate those diagrams.