Punishment

Question 1

What does punishment do?

Answer 1

it lowers the probability of a response

Question 2

How does punishment happen?

Answer 2

• presenting unpleasant stimuli (scolding, prison sentence)
• removing pleasant stimuli (confiscating phone, confiscating driver’s license)

Question 3

Difference between negative reinforcement and punishment (ex: to get you to clean your room…)

Answer 3

-neg. reinforcement: getting ungrounded when you clean your room / being grounded UNTIL you clean your room
-punishment: getting grounded for not cleaning your room

Question 4

Disadvantages of punishment

Answer 4

• doesn’t eliminate bad behaviour, just supresses it (comes back when threat is over. ex: repeat offenders)
• identifies what the bad behaviour is but does not indicate the good behaviour (must use rewards to help develop good behaviour)
• risky: severe/disproportional punishment creates fear, anger hostility. + risk of escaping punishment (running away) + retaliation +models aggression and risks cycle

Question 5

Alternatives for punishment

Answer 5

-either reinforcements (rewards)
-removing the rewarding consequences of a bad behaviour: if someone stole, dont let them keep what they stole. if someone if throwing a tantrum, don’t give attention, ignore.

Question 6

When is punishment necessary

Answer 6

situations of danger (requires immediate negative feedback because of severity) ex: when someone attempts to put their finger in an electrical socket

Question 7

How to make punishment effective:

Answer 7

• timing: as soon as possible, even during
• intensity: should match the seriousness of te misbehaviour, should overpower the rewarding misbehaviour (ex: a 2$ ticket is not enough to prevent speeding)
• consistency
• never to be done in anger (risks unreasonability)