I hope I'm not opening up a can of worms here, but I don't think his graphics are in error. I think he is using the terminology in a way that was standard in some circles at one time but is not currently in favor in most current intro psych texts.
First off, he doesn't define negative reinforce*ment*, he defines negative reinforc*er* as a stimulus that decreases the strength of behavior with it's application. I remember this use of the term negative reinforcer when I was in college. So usually a negative reinforcer is an aversive stimulus whereas a positive reinforcer is generally a pleasant stimulus. In the second graphic he explains that when a negative reinforcer is present following the response, this is punishment and decreases the strength of the behavior (no error here). The graphic also says that the removal of a negative reinforcer following a behavior increases its strength (no error here either). He calls this escape, where most intro texts would use the term "negative reinforcement", but escape strikes me as an acceptable, if less common, term. What exactly are the errors in the graphics? Michael Caruso Associate Professor Department of Psychology University of Toledo e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] www: http://www.utoledo.edu/~mcaruso/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "DeVolder Carol L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 11:49 AM Subject: RE: apparition I'd say not only does it not help students, it hurts them in the long run. Has anyone considered letting the website author know about his errors? Carol -----Original Message----- From: Stuart Mckelvie [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, November 03, 2003 8:12 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences Subject: Re: apparition Dear Ken and Other Tipsters, What a howler! This does not help students.... Stuart Date sent: Mon, 03 Nov 2003 09:00:48 -0500 From: Ken Steele <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: apparition To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send reply to: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > But look at the definition of negative reinforcement on that web site! > > http://intropsych.mcmaster.ca/intropsych/1a3/Learn/lec3-1.htm > > Ken > > Mike Scoles wrote: > > >http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/psychology/psych1a6/1a3/S_P/lec3-3.htm > > > >Allan & Siegel proposed that the afterimage is a compensatory response, > >conditioned to orientation (or other) cues as they are paired with the > >inducing color--much like Siegel's earlier explanation of drug tolerance and > >withdrawal (cues paired with a drug elicit compensatory responses that are > >seen as withdrawal, or that attenuate subsequent responses to the drug). > > > >************************************************* > >Michael T. Scoles, Ph.D. > >Director, Arkansas Charter School Resource Center > >Associate Professor of Psychology & Counseling > >University of Central Arkansas > >Conway, AR 72035 > >voice: (501) 450-5418 > >fax: (501) 450-5424 > >************************************************* > > > > > > > > > >>-----Original Message----- > >>From: Annette Taylor, Ph. D. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 8:56 PM > >>To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences > >>Subject: Re: apparition > >> > >> > >>More on the McCullough Effect please! > >> > >>Annete > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > >--- > >You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D., Phone: (819)822-9600 Chairperson, Extension 2402 Department of Psychology, Bishop's University, Fax: (819)822-9661 3 Route 108 East, Borough of Lennoxville, E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sherbrooke, Quebec J1M 1Z7, Canada. Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page: http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
