Lecture on Reinforcement

Positive and Negative Reinforcement

• Example Scenario:
  • Situation: Kyan wants the remote.
  • He starts crying.
  • The remote is given to Kyan, which exemplifies a real-life example of positive and negative reinforcement.

Positive Reinforcement

• Definition: Increasing a behavior by presenting a desirable stimulus after the behavior.
• Example:
  • Kyan receives the remote control.
  • Result: Kyan is positively reinforced and is more likely to cry to get the remote in the future.

Negative Reinforcement

• Definition: Increasing a behavior by removing an aversive stimulus after the behavior.
• Example:
  • The person giving the remote stops Kyan's crying.
  • Result: The person's behavior of giving the remote is negatively reinforced because the crying stops.

Key Points

• Positive reinforcement involves adding a rewarding stimulus to enhance behavior.
• Negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus to enhance behavior.
• Both reinforcements can increase the likelihood of a behavior occurring in the future.

Implications

• Understanding reinforcement can help in managing behaviors effectively by identifying what actions serve as positive or negative reinforcers.