Reinforcement Theory ·
Reinforcement theory, associated with the psychologist B F Skinner and others, shows how the consequences of past behavior affect future actions in a cyclical learning process. This process may be expressed as follows:
Stimulus – Response – Consequences – Future Response:
*On this view, the individual’s own voluntary behavior (response) to a situation or event (stimulus) is the cause of specific consequences. If those consequences are positive, the individual will in the future tend to have similar responses in similar situations. If those consequences are unpleasant, the individual will tend to change his or her behavior in order to avoid them.
Reinforcement theory is the process of shaping behavior by controlling the consequences of the behavior.
*In reinforcement theory a combination of rewards and/or punishments is used to reinforce desired behavior or extinguish unwanted behavior.
*Any behavior that elicits a consequence is called operant behavior, because the individual operates on his or her environment.
*Reinforcement theory concentrates on the relationship between the operant behavior and the associated consequences, and is sometimes referred to as operant conditioning.
Types of Reinforcement
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE :-
Positive Reinforcement:- Positive reinforcement is a reward or other desirable consequence that follows behavior. A compliment from the boss after completing a difficult job and a salary increase following a period of high performance are examples of positive reinforcement..
The general affect of providing positive reinforcement after behavior is to maintain or increase the frequency of that behavior. Managers might define “desirable” employee behavior as hard work, punctuality, loyalty and commitment to the organization. When employees exhibit these behaviors, the
managers may reward them with pay increases, promotions and the like
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT:- Negative reinforcement uses the reward system. A person is rewarded for desired behavior by having something unpleasant removed. This removal is the reward. For example, in the workplace a person may find it undesirable to be monitored closely. If a person is doing their job to the held standard, they may not be monitored as closely anymore. This removal of the monitoring is the reward for consistently doing their job well.
Intrinsic reinforcement Intrinsic reinforcement is reinforcement that is done internally. In other words it is something we do to ourselves, although this may be done with external stimulus, such as thanks or smiles.
Extrinsic reinforcement Extrinsic reinforcement is reinforcement from without, clearly outside of our internal thinking. Classic examples of extrinsic reinforcements are money and physical punishment.
Primary reinforcement Primary reinforcement has a clear causal connection between behavior and reinforcement, for example where complying with a simple request results in the reinforcement of thanks.
Secondary reinforcement Secondary reinforcement is less clear and is learned only through experience or musing. Thus, for example, a person who cooks a friend a particular meal discovers after doing this several times that it seems to make the other person somewhat friendlier.
Reinforcement theory, associated with the psychologist B F Skinner and others, shows how the consequences of past behavior affect future actions in a cyclical learning process. This process may be expressed as follows:
Stimulus – Response – Consequences – Future Response:
*On this view, the individual’s own voluntary behavior (response) to a situation or event (stimulus) is the cause of specific consequences. If those consequences are positive, the individual will in the future tend to have similar responses in similar situations. If those consequences are unpleasant, the individual will tend to change his or her behavior in order to avoid them.
Reinforcement theory is the process of shaping behavior by controlling the consequences of the behavior.
*In reinforcement theory a combination of rewards and/or punishments is used to reinforce desired behavior or extinguish unwanted behavior.
*Any behavior that elicits a consequence is called operant behavior, because the individual operates on his or her environment.
*Reinforcement theory concentrates on the relationship between the operant behavior and the associated consequences, and is sometimes referred to as operant conditioning.
Types of Reinforcement
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE :-
Positive Reinforcement:- Positive reinforcement is a reward or other desirable consequence that follows behavior. A compliment from the boss after completing a difficult job and a salary increase following a period of high performance are examples of positive reinforcement..
The general affect of providing positive reinforcement after behavior is to maintain or increase the frequency of that behavior. Managers might define “desirable” employee behavior as hard work, punctuality, loyalty and commitment to the organization. When employees exhibit these behaviors, the
managers may reward them with pay increases, promotions and the like
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT:- Negative reinforcement uses the reward system. A person is rewarded for desired behavior by having something unpleasant removed. This removal is the reward. For example, in the workplace a person may find it undesirable to be monitored closely. If a person is doing their job to the held standard, they may not be monitored as closely anymore. This removal of the monitoring is the reward for consistently doing their job well.
Intrinsic reinforcement Intrinsic reinforcement is reinforcement that is done internally. In other words it is something we do to ourselves, although this may be done with external stimulus, such as thanks or smiles.
Extrinsic reinforcement Extrinsic reinforcement is reinforcement from without, clearly outside of our internal thinking. Classic examples of extrinsic reinforcements are money and physical punishment.
Primary reinforcement Primary reinforcement has a clear causal connection between behavior and reinforcement, for example where complying with a simple request results in the reinforcement of thanks.
Secondary reinforcement Secondary reinforcement is less clear and is learned only through experience or musing. Thus, for example, a person who cooks a friend a particular meal discovers after doing this several times that it seems to make the other person somewhat friendlier.