Any behaviorists out there willing to take a stab at this student question?
If strict behaviorists won't use the term reward because it implies happiness or satisfaction, then why do they use the term punishment, which seems to me, to imply unhappiness or dissatisfaction?
S/he's right -- we're not consistent here, and we do spend a lot of time explaining what a behavioral/functional definition of punishment is.
The reasons for the inconsistency are historical: Skinner preferred not to talk about punishment except to say why we shouldn't use it. While there is debate over whether the use of punishment is effect and whether it can be situationally justified there is still a predisposition to rely on positive reinforcement whenever possible.
In addition, reinforcement by definition strengthens a behavior, whereas punishment weakens/removes it. Simply removing a behavior without substituting a more functional one is not a stable way to change behavior. Again, the preference is to reduce the frequency of one behavior by strengthening a competing one.
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* PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
* Psychology Dept Minnesota State University *
* 23 Armstrong Hall, Mankato, MN 56001 ph 507-389-6217 *
* http://www.mnsu.edu/dept/psych/welcome.html *
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