Characteristics of negative reinforcement and examples

The operant techniques are those that involve the manipulation between the antecedents and the consequents of certain actions tocontrol the behavior and get it modified. These techniques have five main tools and one of them is negative reinforcement.

Different from what you can think just by hearing the name of this technique, it is not the application of an unpleasant stimulus or a negative punishment, in fact it is the withdrawal of some aspect that the individual did not like and is eliminated from certain actions performed.

Therefore, it is understood thatit is a type of stimulus that aims to use a pleasant situation, to increase the chances that some action will be carried out.

In the following article we will develop what is a negative reinforcement, the types and strategies to apply it.

What is negative reinforcement?

Negative reinforcement is defined according to Bados and García in “Operant Techniques”, asan aversive stimulus where contingent prevention is applied to a behavior, so that thepositive reinforcementthat is applied to increase or maintain it is finished or prevented. (1)

Through the examples it is a little easier to understand this concept, which is a bit confusing through the intrinsic relationship it has withpositive punishmentandnegative punishment. So, for example:

• A child picks up toys thrown away to avoid punishment.
• Take a pill to suppress the headache.
• Do your homework so that we don’t take away the privilege of watching TV.
• Anorexic patient eats to avoid being sent to a hospital.

What are the characteristics of negative reinforcement?

Negative reinforcement meets certain characteristics that influence their performancetag. With the description of them we will better enter into context, so we will get into it below:

1. It is a key piece in operant conditioning

As we mentioned before, negative reinforcement is part of the fundamental tools of operant conditioningconditioning techniques and Conditioning Instrumentstechniques . With conditioning, the production of a stimulus that involves escape from a situation or vice versa is sought, unlikeClassical conditioning in which associations of stimuli with responses are produced.

Note: It is understood that this type of stimuli is accompanied by the complementation of processes, and that is precisely what has been raised with these issues since the beginning of their existence.

2. It is used to reinforce learning

Although it is something that we spontaneously apply daily, it is studied and controlled to enhance Learning . In fact, it is applied in purely educational fields, in cognitive and behavioral therapies, and even in addiction treatment.

To highlight: In the Blog of the Paidea Pedagogical Center an essay was developed on “Techniques to establish and increase appropriate behaviors” , they talk about the importance of techniques or their associations to maintain or incorporate behaviors and knowledge , seeking to be consolidated through reinforcements. (two)

3. Eliminate a negative stimulus

Here is the explanation of the name given to this type of reinforcement. It does not consist in the application of negative stimuli, but in eliminating them. It produces the disappearance of uncomfortable feelings, unpleasantness, or any sensation of this nature.

4. Allows you to carry out a certain behavior

It is based on the reinforcement of knowledge and turn it into a behavior. They are based on these tools, in order to build the molding of the person and the creation of certain habits and behaviors.

Likewise, it is under the concept of operating techniques that stimuli and theories such as BF Skinner’s, base the capacity of reinforcements to repeat certain behaviors and achieve changes and roots in it.

5. Focuses on individual behaviors

In the investigation entitled “Individual behavior as a response to formal organizational factors” , it is explained how behavior is structured by certain behavior that defines availability and molding, to participate in society and organizational structures. (3)

You should know: With the studies of the operating techniques, the development of assertive and competent individuals is sought for the inclusion and intervention within the participation that existence entails.

In this sense, Hodgetts and Altman in 1981 pointed out that the individual cannot define their behavior in isolation but as a response or product, which will be visible and the importance of their influence. (4)

6. Discard thought processes

Like everything that has to do with Behaviorism , it is based on the behaviors developed and the internal process that it entails is ignored. At this point in our existence and all the advances we know that it is contradictory, but for the beginnings of these tools, in fact, it was considered that the mind did not weigh.

7. It can generate immediate results

Based on all the studies carried out, it is recognized that especially with this type of reinforcement to suppress adverse and uncomfortable situations, the effects are immediate. It is more efficient, especially to apply it in the short term.

8. It must be applied with caution

In the Guide to educational intervention in conduct disorders, it is explained that for this very reason experts recommend that it be used in moderation, to prevent the lack of programming from having consequences that will carry over into adult life, causing poor social adaptation and repetition of unwanted behaviors.

9. It is not the same as punishment

The punishment, in fact, is the opposite. It is defined as the appearance of an aversive consequence to a certain behavior, which guides us to the disappearance of that behavior or at least the frequency with which it occurs.

Important: Punishments can develop secondary emotions that are inappropriate, such as: fear, anger, Resentment .

What are the types of negative reinforcement?

There is a classification that allows distinguishing them according to the orientations and objectives with which they are applied. These are:escape and avoidance. They will be described with greater emphasis below:

1. Escape

For Bados and Garcia “it consists of withdrawing or reducing a supposed aversive stimulus or ending the loss of a supposed positive reinforcer contingent on a behavior with the aim of increasing or maintaining it”. (5)

So, it consists of giving a response with the intention of ending an aversive and unpleasant stimulus for the individual. A classic example, looking at all the related studies, is when the umbrella is opened to prevent rain from falling on us (getting wet being the aversive stimulus).

2. Avoidance

Avoidance is presenting a putative aversive stimulus or withdrawing a positive reinforcer. In this way it is postponed and in some cases it is even prevented, the appearance of the reinforcement again.

Examples of Negative Reinforcement

Below we mention different types of examples on negative reinforcement, to understand more clearly the conceptualization of this learning tool.

1. In everyday life

• Pick up the phone to escape annoying sounds.
• Change your clothes because the one you used is too tight.
• Pick something up off the ground to stop seeing someone else’s annoyed face.
• Wash the dishes to eliminate mom’s insistence.

2. In learning

• For every five jobs done correctly, they have the sixth approved.
• If they behaved well in class, only send them half of the assignments.
• Do all homework on time and correctly, then you can go out half an hour more than usual to play.

3. In the workplace

• Constantly remember to be more productive.
• Closely monitor an employee to prevent them from playing computer games.
• Carry out reviews of the areas to avoid unnecessary calls for attention.

4. In the clinical setting

• Therapist almost referred to colleague to avoid a failure.
• Breaking the silence in therapy.
• Anorexic patient eats and gains enough weight to leave the hospital.

What are the strategies for applying negative reinforcement?

The methodology to correctly apply reinforcement is the key so that it can influence the behaviorsthat want to be strengthened or created. Here’s how to apply negative reinforcement:

1. Determine the behavior you want to change

Initially, it is recognized what is the behavior that wants to be strengthened or suppressed from one’s own behavior or from the individual in question. It must be understood and applied systematically so that there is a greater chance of success.

2. Select the aversive stimulus

After identifying the behavior to be modified, the aversive stimulus to be suppressed is defined so that the withdrawal produces pleasure and motivates the individual, relating it, of course, with motivation. Among these are:extinction and satiety of the stimulus.

To highlight: Extinction is when the person emits a previously reinforced behavior,but without presenting its contingent reinforcers. For example: hang up the phone on someone who makes obscene calls.

Stimulus satiety consists of providing a positive reinforcer until its effectiveness is reduced or eliminated. For example: A patient who stored towels was no longer withdrawn and seven were supplied each day, later increasing to 60, until the woman began to ask for them to be removed.

3. Notify the individual of the actions to apply in advance

Bados and García explain that it is important to notify what type of consequence is going to be applied if it is necessary to stop doing it. There are verbal or non-verbal stimuli that will work, as long as they are not abused and are always supported by real consequences (do not threaten in vain). (6)

4. Use aversive stimuli with caution

They must be taken care of to avoid negative side effects such as aggressiveness and recklessness, in addition to developing a tendency to avoid or escape from people who arouse some type of reference with the stimuli in question.

You should know: “The person must apply the punishment without losing his cool. He must simply describe the behavior and apply the consequence in a cool and calm manner. Emotional exaltation favors lack of control in the application of punishment.”

5. Use positive reinforcement for the desired behavior

If the negative reinforcement has worked and has an effect, yielding the desired results, positive reinforcement must be applied to then encourage and strengthen the desired behavior.

It must be remembered that positive reinforcements are those that create the disposition for the behavior and allow forging the malleability of our objective in the long term with excellent results.

Key Findings

• Negative reinforcement is an aversive stimulus where contingent prevention is applied to a behavior in such a way that the positive reinforcement applied to increase or maintain it is terminated or prevented.
• Negative reinforcement is not the application of an unpleasant stimulus or a punishment , in fact it is the withdrawal of some aspect that the individual did not like and is eliminated from certain actions performed.
• Negative reinforcement is part of the fundamental tools of operant conditioning techniques .
• Negative reinforcement can be applied in different settings at the work level, in learning, and in the clinical setting.
• To apply negative reinforcement, one must Determine the behavior to be modified and select the aversive stimulus.
• The individual must also be informed in advance of the actions to be applied, use aversive stimuli with caution, and use positive reinforcement for the desired behavior.