ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses conditioned reinforcement and chain schedules of reinforcement. It introduces the concept of conditioned reinforcement and research to demonstrate the variables that determine its effectiveness. Conditioned reinforcement occurs when behavior is strengthened by events that have an effect because of a conditioning history. The important aspect of this history involves a correspondence between an arbitrary event and a currently effective reinforcer. Chain schedules show how sequences of behavior are maintained by conditioned reinforcement in everyday life. Conditioned reinforcers in chain schedules remain effective because the terminal link continues to schedule unconditioned reinforcement. The superiority of the backward-chaining method in athletics or other areas of learning results from the principle of conditioned reinforcement. The effectiveness of a conditioned reinforcer is enhanced by events that establish unconditioned reinforcement. The informational and conditioned-reinforcement accounts of observing behavior have been studied in humans.
