Positive Reinforcement

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the use of reinforcement and operant conditioning in changing behaviors. Positive reinforcement is contrasted with negative reinforcement, and examples are given for using these methods in real life. The paper also describes learned helplessness, and why operant conditioning may not work when someone suffers from this condition.

Outline:
Introduction
Learned Helplessness
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The field of mental health is still in its relative infancy but over the past century many things have been discovered about the human psyche and the way it works. One of the more focused on issues in the field of mental health is what motivates people to react the way they do to various situations. The study of positive and negative reinforcement as well as Punishment One and Punishment Two in the world of operant conditioning lends the ability to work with people to get them to react in a desired and appropriate manner(Analyzing Examples of Operant Conditioning
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/behsys/operant.html).
The first thing one needs to understand in the use of reinforcement and punishment is that reinforcement provides one type of action and punishment provides another type of action to achieve desired behavior from the recipient. If the behavior is not made weaker the punishment follows so the desire to avoid the punishment makes the person decrease the undesired behaviors."

Sample of Sources Used:

• (Analyzing Examples of Operant Conditioning http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/behsys/operant.html)
• Reinforcement http://bama.ua.edu/~jcollier/Reinforcement_and_punishment_table.html
• Learned helplessness http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learned_helplessness
• Learned helplessness, therapy, and personality traits: an experimental study. The Journal of Social Psychology; 2/1/2003; Sunar, Diane
• Learned Helplessness http://salmon.psy.plym.ac.uk/year2/psy221depression/psy221depression.htm#learnedhelplessnesstheory

More papers on Positive Reinforcement:

• Essay # 72646 : "The Effectiveness Of Positive Reinforcement"
• Analytical Essay # 60159 : "Self-Discipline and Positive Reinforcement"
• Term Paper # 148482 : "Positive Reinforcement in the Classroom"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: