Punishment Flashcards
What are the variables affecting punishment?
- Contingency
- contiguity
- intensity of the punisher
- introductory level of punishment
- reinforcement of punished behaviour
- alternative sources of reinforcement
- deprivation level
- Qualitative features
What is the general rule of contingency re punishment?
The greater the degree of contingency between a behaviour and punishment, the faster a behaviour changes and the greater the suppression of the behaviour
What is the general rule of contiguity and punishment?
for maximum effect, punish behaviour immediately
Why might a delayed interval between behaviour and punishment reduce effectiveness?
Because there is opportunity in the interval for other behaviours to occur, therefore punishment may suppress other behaviours slightly rather than powerfully suppressing the desired behaviour
Why did Thorndike and Skinner’s punishment experiments not work?
Because the consequences (punishers) were too weak
What is the general rule re punishment and intensity?
That the greater the intensity/strength of the punishing stimulus, the greater the reduction of the punished responses
Why is it necessary to begin with a punisher that is intense enough to suppress the behaviour dramatically?
Because if the punisher is too weak, the punished behaviour will tend to persist and a far greater level of punisher may be required to suppress the behaviour
What must be considered re reinforcement when considering punishment?
That all behaviour is maintained by reinforcement so the effectiveness of a punishment procedure depends on the frequency, amount and quality of reinforcement the behaviour produces
What might happen if a punished behaviour continues to receive reinforcement?
It may persist
What may be important to provide when using punishment to suppress behaviour?
Alternative means of obtaining the reinforcers that maintained the undesirable behaviour
What is the general rule re deprivation’s effects on punishment?
The higher the level of reinforcer deprivation, the less effective a punisher is.
What are the two theories of punishment?
Two process theory and one-process theory
What was behaviour suppression originally believed to be caused by?
The disruptive effects of aversive stimuli
What were the two key findings that undermined this view?
1- the effects of punishment are not as transient as Skinner thought if the aversives are sufficiently intense.
2- punishment has a greater suppresive effect on behaviour than does aversive stimulation that is independent of behaviour. (the power of contingency)
What does one-process theory say about punishment and reinforcement?
punishment and reinforcement have essentially symmetrical effects on behaviour
What are the pros of punishment?
- it is effective in the short run, because it is reinforcing
- produces rapid and substantial reduction in behaviour
- it is fast, suppression beings immediately
- can be permanent
- can have beneficial side-effects
What are the cons of punishment?
- escape
- aggression
- apathy
- abuse
- imitation of the punisher
How do people escape from punishment?
- fleeing
- tuning out
- cheating and lying
- making excuses and showing remorse
- suicide
What is an effective way of exerting control over another?
Aggression
When might apathy occur?
When escape and aggression are not possible people and when punishment is common-place
What are the main alternatives to punishment?
- Response prevention
- extinction
- differential reinforcement
- non-contingent reinforcement
What is response prevention?
An alternative to punishment that prevents the behaviour from occurring by changing the environment in some way
What is extinction as an alternative to punishment?
The withholding of all reinforcement for a given behaviour, reducing the frequency of that behaviour
What can make extinction difficult?
The extinction burst, which temporarily increases the behaviour, and that it can be slow
When can extinction not be used?
When the relevant reinforcers are outside of our control
What is differential reinforcement?
Use of the combination of extinction and reinforcement
What are the different types of differential reinforcement?
Differential reinforcement of:
- low rate (DRL)
- of zero responding (DRO)
- of incompatible behaviour (DRI)
- of alternative behaviour (DRA)
What is differential reinforcement of low rate?
DRL- when reinforcers are provided for a behaviour but only when it occurs infrequently
- the reinforcement is provided at the end of an interval
What is the differential reinforcement of zero responding?
DRO- when reinforcement is contingent on NOT performing performing the behaviour for a specified period of time
- reinforcement is provided only when behaviour does not occur
What is the differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviour?
DRI- when behaviour that is incompatible with the unwanted behaviour is reinforced
What is the differential reinforcement of alternative behaviour?
When the reinforcers that were made available for the problem behaviour are made contingent on some more desirable behaviour
What is the rule for DRI?
By increasing the rate of desirable behaviour, we automatically reduce the rate of an incompatible undesirable behaviour
What is the main advantage of differential reinforcement?
It focuses attention on strengthening desirable behaviours rather than suppressing undesirable ones
What is NCR?
Non-contingent reinforcement, when reinforcement is delivered without regard to behaviour
– what the person used to have to work for with shitty behaviour they can now get for free
Why might NCR work?
Because the non-contingent reinforcement reduces the reinforcing value of the reinforcers
What are the types of self-control; techniques?
- physical restraint
- distancing
- distraction
- deprivation and satiation
- inform others of your goals
- monitoring behaviour
How does the Premack principle apply to the one-process theory of punishment?
That low-probability behaviour punishes high-probability behaviour
