What is negative reinforcement?Negative reinforcement has to do with how a behavior is followed by the removal, termination, reduction, or postponement of a stimulus and then that behavior happens more often in the future (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2014). Show
So, negative reinforcement like positive reinforcement, involves a behavior happening more often as a result of what happens after the behavior. However, negative reinforcement includes one of the following as the event following the behavior:
Four-Term Contingency of Negative ReinforcementNegative reinforcement involves a four-term contingency. The four parts of this contingency include the establishing operation, an SD (discriminative stimulus), the response or behavior, and the SR- or the abolishment or reduction of the EO. An Example of Negative ReinforcementLets look at an example of negative reinforcement with all four parts of the contingency in mind. Establishing Operation A young child is crying. SD The child puts his hands up toward his mother while crying. Response/Behavior The mother picks up her child. SR- The child stops crying. *Impact as a Result of Negative Reinforcement acting on the Mothers Behavior The mother picks up her child more often in the future when her child cries and, especially when the child reaches his hands toward the mother. Lets review how the example above fits with the definition and characteristics of negative reinforcement.
A Side NoteJust a quick note about the example above when thinking about child development and parenting strategies The intention of this example is not to say whether a parent should or should not pick up their child when the child cries. For younger kids, especially infants, picking them up when they cry can be beneficial to their development. Three Types of Negative Reinforcement ContingenciesThere are three types of negative reinforcement contingencies. One form of negative reinforcement is seen in situations that result in the termination of a stimulus. This type of negative reinforcement allows someone to escape an experience. Some examples of an escape contingency that results from negative reinforcement include:
The type of negative reinforcement that involves an avoidance contingency is a common experience that we all experience in many everyday activities. This is also known as discriminated avoidance. This type of negative reinforcement allows a person to behave in a way that prevents or delays an experience. Some examples of an avoidance contingency resulting from negative reinforcement include:
Free-operant avoidance involves the avoidance behavior happening at any time. It is free to occur. The behavior will delay an unpleasant experience. Free-operant avoidance differs from the typical avoidance contingency in that a signal for the unpleasant experience does not have to be present. Some examples of a free-operant avoidance contingency resulting from negative reinforcement include:
Breaking Apart the Three Types of Negative ReinforcementAs a review, the three types of negative reinforcement contingencies include: escape, avoidance, and free-operant avoidance. Lets look back at the definition of negative reinforcement and briefly explore how the three types of negative reinforcement fit with the characteristics of negative reinforcement. We will take one scenario identified above and pinpoint the characteristics of negative reinforcement in each of them.
Reference: Cooper, Heron, & Heward. (2014). Applied Behavior Analysis. 2nd Edition. Pearson Education Limited. When a stimulus is removed resulting in a decrease in the probability of a response in the future it is known as?Punishment refers to the introduction of an aversive stimulus, or removal of a positive one, following a response, resulting in a decrease in the future probability of that response.
When a stimulus is given to the person contingent upon their behavior and this serves to decrease the future frequency of that behavior it is called?Punishment is defined as a contingency that results in a decrease in the future rate of a response. The contingent stimuli or events used are referred to as punishers. Punishers fall within two categories, unconditioned or conditioned.
When a response is followed by the presentation of a stimulus and as a result?Positive reinforcement occurs “when a response is followed by the presentation of a stimulus and as a result, similar responses occur more frequently in the future” (Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007).
What occurs immediately after a behavior?Definition: A consequence is a stimulus change that follows a behavior of interest. In layman's terms, the consequences are the events that happen to the person immediately following the behavior.
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