It is often difficult to differentiate negative reinforcement and punishment. Nonetheless, the video helps provide clarity and a way of differentiating the two. Negative reinforcement, as much as it sounds, does not mean that a negative consequence. From the video it means the eventual removal of an unpleasant stimulus because the desired behavior is achieved. For instance, when my mum nags me every time I do not do the dishes, I will view this as an unpleasant stimulus. To remove it, I will ensure to do the dishes. Therefore, the desired behavior is encouraged by the removal of the unpleasant stimulus.
Response to Jayme
Hi Jayme, I support your sentiments on learning what negative reinforcement is though I feel that you may be mixing up negative reinforcement with negative punishment. It is especially evident where you liken negative reinforcement to when a parent takes away a cell phone for the child to do their homework. Here the parent takes a way a positive stimulus to promote a desired behavior and this describes negative reinforcement. Kindly clarify on that.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Response to Chloe
Hello Chloe, I agree with you that the positive and negative aspects of reinforcement and punishment are often confusing even for those who have come across them before. I often need to keep referring back to text to ensure that I go everything right. Nonetheless, examples from the video can help one remember how to define the positive and negative aspects.
Response to Andrea
Hi Andrea, I am glad that the video provided significant insight for you on positive and negative reinforcement. One may associate the positive with the addition of a pleasant stimulus while in reality it is the removal of the unpleasant. Similarly, one may confuse negative reinforcement with the addition of an unpleasant stimulus when it involves the removal of the pleasant. It can be a bit confusing unless one develops a strategy for differentiation.
