Paul says: The solution is to use the term "aversive stimulus" to refer to the event (which can function as either a reinforcer or a punisher depending upon the contingency) and restrict the term negative reinforcement to refer to the _process_ of strengthening a behavior by removing something following that behavior.
On a related point, is there a name for the type of stimulus you add to the situation that leads to positive reinforcement other than an "appetitive" stimulus? Whereas, "aversive" works well in naming stimuli that, when added to a situation contingent on a behavior will lead to a decrease in the behavior, I wish there was a word that more clearly communicated the opposite concept. For obvious reasons, I want to stay away from referring to it as a positive stimulus or a positive reinforcer. Rick Dr. Rick Froman Associate Professor of Psychology John Brown University 2000 W. University Siloam Springs, AR 72761 [EMAIL PROTECTED] (479) 524-7295 http://www.jbu.edu/academics/sbs/rfroman.asp -----Original Message----- From: Paul Brandon [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 9:50 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences Cc: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences Subject: Re: Negative reinforcement (was: apparition) At 10:02 AM -0500 11/11/03, Stephen Black wrote: >But the short answer to what's wrong with the graphics is that >students are confused enough by our current definition of without >adding to their misery by stating it in a way >which can only confuse further. Current consensus is that a should >never be defined as "a stimulus that reduces the >probability of any response it follows" As I said earlier, part of the problem is inherent in the use of the topographically similar terms "negative reinforcer" and "negative reinforcement", leading to excessive stimulus generalization. The solution is to use the term "aversive stimulus" to refer to the event (which can function as either a reinforcer or a punisher depending upon the contingency) and restrict the term negative reinforcement to refer to the _process_ of strengthening a behavior by removing something following that behavior. There are two subcategories of negative reinforcement: Escape -- when the aversive situation is already present and is removed following the behavior, and Avoidance -- when the aversive situation is _not_ present, and whose occurrence is prevented or postponed (made less likely) by the occurrence of the defined behavior. -- * PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Psychology Dept Minnesota State University * * 23 Armstrong Hall, Mankato, MN 56001 ph 507-389-6217 * * http://www.mankato.msus.edu/dept/psych/welcome.html * --- 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]
