Week 6: Punishment Flashcards
What is punishment?
Punishment is the removal of a pleasant stimulus or the application of an unpleasant stimulus, both of which tend to suppress a response.
How does punishment differ from negative reinforcement?
Punishment lowers the probability of a response, while negative reinforcement increases the probability of a desired response by removing an unpleasant stimulus when the correct response is made.
What is an example of punishment?
Grounding children for the weekend when they fail to clean their room is an example of punishment.
What is an example of negative reinforcement?
Telling children they are grounded until their rooms are clean is an example of negative reinforcement.
What are some disadvantages of punishment?
Punishment does not extinguish undesirable behavior; it suppresses it only when the punishing agent is present. This behavior is likely to continue when the threat of punishment is removed.
What does Skinner argue about punishment?
Skinner argued that if punishment extinguished criminal behavior, there would be fewer repeat offenders in the criminal justice system.
What is a potential emotional reaction to severe punishment?
A person who is severely punished often becomes fearful and feels angry and hostile toward the punisher.
What is an alternative to punishment for changing behavior?
Removing the rewarding consequences of undesirable behavior is seen as a better way to extinguish a problem behavior.
How can positive reinforcement help in behavior modification?
Using positive reinforcement such as praise makes good behavior more rewarding for children, providing the attention they need.
What are the three factors that influence the effectiveness of punishment?
The three factors are timing, intensity, and consistency.
When is punishment most effective?
Punishment is most effective when applied during the misbehavior or as soon afterward as possible.
What is the relationship between punishment intensity and behavior suppression?
Punishment should be the minimum necessary to suppress the problem behavior; unnecessarily severe punishment can lead to negative side effects.
What should be considered regarding punishment consistency?
Both parents ought to react to the same misbehavior in a consistent manner for effective suppression.
Why should punishment not be administered in anger?
Punishment should not be administered in anger as its purpose is to modify behavior, not to vent anger.
