Question

CH4

Compare and contrast negative reinforcement and punishment. Use an example and a contingency table in doing so.

Answer 1

Negative reinforcement is used to increase the propensity of a certain behavior by taking out from the equation a certain aversive stimuli that would be added if the behavior is not demonstreted.

For instance, John likes to laze around and do no work, and whenever he does so his mom screams at him, but as soon as he stops being lethargic, his mother stops scolding him whenever he starts to work, as a result he starts working harder. The removal of aversive stimuli (shouting) increases desired behavior.  

Whereas, in Punishment a certain behavior is decreased by the addition of an aversive consequnce which lead to that ehavior being reduces in propensity.

For instance, Dora likes eating junk, but her mother tells her that if she continues eating junk, she, as a form of pnishment, would take away all her play time. This would lead to her junking less in order to avoid the harmful consequnce.

Contingency appetitive aversive

Negative -ve Punishment -ve Reinforcement