Let's Talk Positive Reinforcement and How it Works: Part I

I have mentioned writing on this topic before, but I am finally getting around to it. I had originally intended to write one long post about positive reinforcement and how the results obtained are so much more reliable and desirable than positive punishment (discussion on terms later). However, I found that I am just too passionate about and interested in this vast topic to confine myself to one post. If I did, I have a feeling you'd be reading a book in post form.

Thus, this will be the first in a series of posts dedicated to this whole topic. I'll try to break it down into manageable chunks so I don't bore you too much. You'll just have to trust me that I have been trained in this arena and use these techniques daily both in work and personal life.

As an introduction, let's start with the most basic point (partly because I've already rambled on, and partly because it's late, and I'm tired.)

What is the definition of positive reinforcement?

If you are speaking of reinforcement in the clinical sense, it is something that occurs after a behavior which increases the likelihood of that behavior occurring again. I have learned of two ways to view the word "positive." According to psychology experts, the word positive simply denotes the addition of something to the environment that will increase the likelihood of the behavior occurring in the future. According to other ways of thinking, "positive" relates to the fact that the addition is something the person or animal actual enjoys or wants. That definition can become confusing when we talk about terms such as "positive punishment," so I will try to be clear on the ways in which I am using the terms "positive and negative" in the future. However, don't get too caught up in definitions. As long as the principles are understood, it's all semantics.

When you view "positive" as something added, the term positive punishment makes a lot more sense as something added to the environment after a behavior has occurred that attempts to decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring in the future. Spanking a child for running into the street after they have done it is a classic example.

If you'd like to learn more about the terms I will be using (and it may be a good idea if you want to follow), check out this page for an exhaustive list.

I learned much of this information in various classes, but I also learned a great deal from the book, Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor. I will probably reference it from time to time, and it's a very readable, fabulous resource.