In BehaviorAnalysis-speak, "positive" refers to presenting a stimulus immediately following the target behavior. You might find it useful to remember that both "positive" and "present" start with a "p." "Negative" refers to removing a stimulus immediately following the target behavior. If you think of a memory trick for that one, let us know.
The result is that there's positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement, as well as positive punishment (sounds weird, doesn't it?) and negative punishment (sounds redundant, doesn't it?).
The potential for confusion is why Malott uses different terms for these 4 basic kinds of behavioral contingencies. You should become fluent with these 4 traditional terms, because they get used a lot and you need to know what they mean when you encounter them, even though you won't see some of them ("positive punishment?") very much in our textbook.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
It can be positively (or negatively) confusing!
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Principles of Behavior: Ch. 04
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I teach courses in the principles and applications of Behavior Analysis, the science and technology of behavior, which is different from other approaches in psychology in that it takes behavior as a subject matter in its own right, rather than as a tool for studying something else, such as the mind. The main purpose of this blog is to be a supplementary means of communication with students who are taking my courses.
4 comments:
I think that an easy way (for me, at least) to differentiate between the 'positive' and 'negative' aspect of environmental changes is to think of it in terms of mathematics rather than personal preference. In other words -- in Math, 'positive' is the same as a Plus Sign '+' -- so following that vein of reasoning -- 'positive reinforcement' is going to be the Addition of some stimulus immediately following a behavior...whereas 'negative reinforcement' will be the Subtraction of some stimulus.
When you ask for a simple word for memory for the negative and the n word- maybe never- no (meaning don't have it there, remove it)
Carol, if that works for you, then you should use it.
Josh - we're on the same wavelength. + & - works for me.
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