Clarifying Reinforcement vs. Punishment

Sometimes distinguishing between negative reinforcement and punishment can be tricky. This application activity is designed to get you thinking about the differences that exist between reinforcement and punishment and then narrow down to the specifics of negative reinforcement and punishment. One of the easiest ways to distinguish between them is to remember that punishment has the sole purpose of reducing the likelihood of a behavior reoccurring while reinforcement, in any form, increases the likelihood of a desired behavior reoccurring either through the addition or removal of a stimulus.

Instructions: For each example presented, identify whether positive reinforcement (PR), negative reinforcement (NR), or punishment (PUN) is illustrated by selecting the appropriate abbreviation in the blank in front of each example. After you have identified the reinforcement or punishment, use the line behind each example to write in the following:

• If you identified a negative or positive reinforcement, then write in whether the reinforcer was primary or secondary
• If you identified the example as punishment, now write in whether the punishment was positive (punishment by application) or negative (punishment by removal)
• Note: you only need to use the words: primary, secondary, positive, or negative to complete this portion of the assignment