Reinforcement, Punishment, Automatic, and Socially Mediated Contingencies
Key Takeaways
- Reinforcement increases future behavior; punishment decreases future behavior.
- Positive and negative describe stimulus presentation or removal, not good or bad effects.
- A stimulus is a reinforcer or punisher only if data show its effect on future responding.
- Automatic contingencies are produced directly by the response; socially mediated contingencies require another person's action.
Consequence Effects
Reinforcement is a consequence relation in which behavior increases in future frequency, duration, magnitude, or some other dimension. Punishment is a consequence relation in which behavior decreases in the future. The definition depends on observed behavior change, not whether the consequence seems pleasant or unpleasant.
Positive means a stimulus is presented or added after the response. Negative means a stimulus is removed, reduced, postponed, or avoided after the response. Positive reinforcement adds a stimulus and behavior increases. Negative reinforcement removes an aversive or worsening condition and behavior increases.
Positive punishment adds a stimulus and behavior decreases. Negative punishment removes a stimulus and behavior decreases. On the exam, first identify the behavior, then the immediate consequence, then the future effect. Do not classify from staff intent alone.
Automatic and Socially Mediated
In automatic reinforcement or punishment, the response itself directly produces the consequence. Scratching that reduces an itch is automatic negative reinforcement. Rocking that produces vestibular stimulation may be automatic positive reinforcement. No other person must deliver the consequence.
Socially mediated contingencies require another person's behavior. A student hits and the teacher removes a task. A client signs more and a caregiver gives more juice. These are mediated by someone in the environment.
Fast Sort
| Future effect | Stimulus change | Contingency |
|---|---|---|
| Increases | Added | Positive reinforcement |
| Increases | Removed | Negative reinforcement |
| Decreases | Added | Positive punishment |
| Decreases | Removed | Negative punishment |
Preference assessment results do not prove reinforcement. A preferred item becomes a reinforcer only when contingent delivery increases behavior. Likewise, a reprimand is not automatically a punisher; it may function as reinforcement if attention-maintained behavior increases.
A learner screams during independent work. Staff remove the worksheet for two minutes, and screaming during work increases over the next week. Which contingency is most likely?
A client presses on a sore muscle and the pressure reduces discomfort. Pressing occurs more often when the muscle aches. What is the best classification?
A teacher gives a stern reprimand after jokes during lecture. Joke-telling increases. Which statement is most accurate?