Positive/Negative Reinforcement


Reinforcement can be positive or negative that can either deliver or reduce something to achieve a certain result. Praises and scolding are forms of reinforcers. In operant conditioning, it is desired for a specific response to occur. Positive reinforcement involves adding something in order to receive a specific response. An example of this can be giving your child allowance after they have cleaned their room. If you get a good grade on a test and the teacher says “great work!” you are more inclined to want to work harder to receive that same response next time. Accuracy, duration, frequency, and persistence are all important measures when monitoring a response. Positive reinforcement should be manipulated and given on a fixed schedule. This way, in the early stages of learning particularly, a positive result can be ensured close to every time.

Negative reinforcement comes from wanting to avoid an adverse stimulus. An example of this is avoiding the doctors to receive a shot that you know could potentially make you sick. Another negative reinforcer is telling a class they do not have homework because they received a good grade on the test. Kids will always work harder to improve and be more productive in the classroom if this continues to occur. Different types of reinforcement can contribute to learning and behavior, however, it is imperative to understand what constitutes those reinforcers.

 

 

Reference

Cherry, K. (2022). Positive and Negative Reinforcement in Operant

Conditioning. How Reinforcement Is Used in Psychology.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-reinforcement-2795414

Comments

Popular posts from this blog