Punishment

Question 1

What is the difference between reinforcers and punishers

Answer 1

Reinforcers - Increase behaviour

Punishers - Decrease behaviour

Question 2

Punishment

Operant Conditioning

Answer 2

The procedure of providing consequences for a behaviour that decrease the probability of that behaviour occurring again.

Question 3

Punisher

Operant Conditioning

Answer 3

Any event or stimulus that contingently follows a behaviour (i.e., a consequence of the behaviour) and decreases its probability of occurrence.

Question 4

Positive Punishment

Answer 4

Any event or stimulus that, when presented as a consequence of a behaviour, decreases the probability of that behaviour occurring again.

Question 5

Negative Punishment

Answer 5

Any event or stimulus that, when removed as a consequence of a behaviour, decreases probability of that behaviour occurring again.

Question 6

What are the variables affecting punishment

Operant Conditioning

Answer 6

Contiguity: Nearness of events in time (temporal contiguity) or space (spatial contiguity).
- The longer the delay (less contiguity), the slower the learning.

Contingency: The degree of correlation between a behaviour and its consequence.

Intensity: How intense the punishment is
- Higher intensity works best (to a point)

Introductory Intensity of Punishment: Using an effective level of punishment from the beginning is very important!
- There are ethics issues with this though
- A good punisher is something you are not willing to inflict on yourself

Reinforcement of Punished Behaviour: Effectiveness of the punisher is determined by the effectiveness of the reinforcer(s) maintaining the behaviour.

Alternative Sources of
Reinforcement: Providing other means of obtaining the reinforcement that maintains the punished behaviour will suppress the behaviour more effectively.

Question 7

What are the major problems with punishment?

Answer 7

• The use of punishment is often reinforcing to the person doing the punishing.
• Escape and Avoidance:
  
  • Punishment can induce escape
    and avoidance behaviours.
  • Examples: Struggling free, Hiding, Stealing, Cheating, Lying,, Crying, Fawning, Suicide (The “ultimate escape”)
• Aggression
  
  • Often a form of escape.
  • More likely when escape is imposible
• Apathy
• Doesn’t Teach Acceptable Behaviours
• Abuse
• Imitation of the Punisher

Question 8

Considerations for Using Punishment Effectively

Answer 8

• Do not delay punishment
• Use consistent contingency and intensity
• Intense enough to stop behaviour quickly
• Negative punishment is preferable
• Explain punishment (if it is delayed especially)
• Provide alternatives for reinforcement
• Never punish out of frustration or anger
• Use when necessary, avoid reliance

Question 9

What are the differences in the Premack principle when used for punishment vs reinforcement

Answer 9

For Reinforcement:
High-probability behaviour reinforces low-probability behaviour.
- Piano (low prob.) → Coffee

For Punishment:
Low-probability behaviour punishes high-probability behaviour.
- Coffee (high prob.) → Piano