Consequences of behavior in operant conditioning that result in strengthening [reinforcement] or weakening [punishment] the frequency of that behavior.
Introduction
During the operant conditioning process, the consequences of behavior affect the probability of future demonstrations of that behavior. Thorndike [1898, 1911] and Skinner [1938] have shown that reinforcement [also known as reward] strengthens a behavior, i.e., increases its frequency, whereas punishment weakens a behavior, i.e., decreases its frequency. Reinforcement can also be distinguished as primary/secondary and intrinsic/extrinsic.
Positive and Negative Reinforcement
Reinforcement is an environmental stimulus whose presentation results in the strengthening [increase of the frequency] of an exhibited behavior. An organism, after a number of contiguous presentations of behavior-reward, associates a specific...
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
Akin-Little, K. A., Eckert, T. L., Lovett, B. J., & Little, S. G. [2004]. Extrinsic reinforcement in the classroom: Bribery or best practice. School Psychology Review, 33[3], 344–362. Google Scholar Cameron, J., & Pierce, W. D. [1994]. Reinforcement, reward, and intrinsic motivation: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 64, 363–423. CrossRef Google Scholar Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. [1985]. Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Plenum Press. CrossRef Google Scholar References
Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. [1999]. A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 627–668.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. [2001]. Extrinsic rewards and intrinsic motivation in education: Reconsidered once again. Review of Educational Research, 71, 1–27.
CrossRef Google Scholar
Dickinson, A. M. [1989]. The detrimental effects of extrinsic reinforcement on “intrinsic motivation”. The Behavior Analyst, 12, 1–15.
CrossRef PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Harlow, H. F., Harlow, M. K., & Meyer, D. R. [1950]. Learning motivated by a manipulative drive. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 40, 228–234.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
Lepper, M. R., Green, D., & Nisbett, R. E. [1973]. Undermining children’s intrinsic interest with extrinsic reward: A test of the “overjustification” hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 28, 129–137.
CrossRef Google Scholar
Ormrod, J. E. [2016]. Human learning. Boston: Pearson Education Limited.
Google Scholar
Powell, R. A., Honey, P. L., & Symbaluk, D. G. [2017]. Introduction to learning and behavior [5th ed.]. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Google Scholar
Skinner, B. F. [1938]. The behavior of organisms: An experimental analysis. New York: Appleton-Century.
Google Scholar
Thorndike, E. L. [1898]. Animal intelligence: An experimental study of the associative processes in animals. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 2[4], i-109.
CrossRef Google Scholar
Thorndike, E. L. [1911]. Animal intelligence. New York: Macmillan.
Google Scholar
Download references
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
Ioulia Papageorgi
Authors
- Ioulia Papageorgi
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
Corresponding author
Correspondence to Ioulia Papageorgi .
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA
Dr. Todd K. Shackelford
Rochester, Michigan, USA
Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford
Section Editor information
University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
Menelaos Apostolou
Rights and permissions
Reprints and Permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Papageorgi, I. [2018]. Positive and Negative Reinforcement and Punishment. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. [eds] Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. //doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1048-1