Operant Conditioning Square

Learning: Principles of Operant Conditioning

This is the square representing Positive Reinforcement (R+), Negative Reinforcement (R-),
Positive Punishment (P+), and Negative Punishment (P-).

     To understand what this square and operant conditioning mean, you will probably have to throw away your regular idea of what "positive" and "negative" are. In this context, positive means putting something into place, whether that something is pleasant or unpleasant. Negative means taking something away, whether it is something pleasant or unpleasant.

R+ example: John scores well on an exam in school, so his parents: 

( Bring him to lunch / Buy him new game console / Insert good thing here), to reward him for good behavior. He will remember that something good is given to him after this particular behavior, so he will be more likely to repeat this behavior in the future.

R- example: John scores well on an exam in school, so his parents:

( Take away his chores for a day / Insert something to be taken away here), to reward him for good behavior.

He will remember that something unpleasant was taken away after this behavior, and will therefore be more likely to repeat this behavior in the future.

P+ example: Suzie is late to work several times, so her manager:

( Gives her a write-up / Insert appropriate unpleasantry here ), to discourage her from being late again.

P- example: Suzie is late to work several times, so her manager:

 ( Takes away her privilege of reading books at work / Insert appropriate loss of privilege here ), to discourage her from being late again.

To sum it up, reinforcement is to encourage the continuation of behavior, and punishment is to discourage a behavior from occurring again.

Till next time!