Reinforcement (Reward and Punishment): Definition, History, and Characteristics
Reinforcement is a term used in psychology to describe a process in which an individual’s behavior is either rewarded or punished in order to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior. Through reinforcement, individuals can be taught how to engage in particular behaviors, and the reinforcement of those behaviors will increase the likelihood of them being repeated. This process can involve the use of either positive reinforcement (rewarding desired behavior) or negative reinforcement (punishing undesired behavior).
History
The concept of reinforcement dates back to the work of early psychologists such as Ivan Pavlov, who developed the concept of classical conditioning. In classical conditioning, a stimulus is paired with a reinforcer (such as food) to create a learned response. This form of conditioning was later explored by Edward Thorndike, who developed the “Law of Effect.” This law states that behaviors that are followed by positive outcomes will be repeated, while those followed by negative outcomes will not. B.F. Skinner also played an important role in the development of the reinforcement concept. Through his experiments with pigeons, Skinner demonstrated that reinforcement could be used to shape behavior.
Characteristics
Reinforcement has some key characteristics that make it an effective tool for shaping behavior. First, reinforcement should be applied as soon as possible after the desired behavior is displayed. This helps to ensure that the behavior is linked to the reinforcement. Second, reinforcement should be consistent and predictable. This helps the individual to understand what is expected and what behaviors are being rewarded or punished. Finally, reinforcement should be tailored to the individual. Different individuals may respond better to different types of reinforcement, so it is important to take into account individual differences.
References
Pavlov, I. P. (1927). Conditioned reflexes. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Thorndike, E. L. (1898). Animal intelligence: An experimental study of the associative processes in animals. New York, NY: Macmillan.
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. New York, NY: Macmillan.
McDougall, W. (1911). Introduction to social psychology. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd.
Baum, W. M. (1994). A primer of behavior analysis. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.