One of the main influences on our behavior is the consequences of our actions, especially those that come shortly after we perform that action. For example, when a behavior is followed by positive and ...

Positive reinforcement can enhance child's self-esteem and cultivate a sense of achievement. It fosters a positive emotional connection to the behavior. Lighthouse Parenting encourages children to ...

Negative reinforcement is a method that can be used to help teach specific behaviors. With negative reinforcement, something uncomfortable or otherwise unpleasant is taken away in response to a ...

EIGHT years ago, Jane S. listened numbly to voices from what she called the “optimological world.” They told her to wear heavy clothing in summer, to avoid bathing or speaking to people and never to ...

Operant conditioning, sometimes called instrumental conditioning or Skinnerian conditioning, is a method of learning that uses rewards and punishment to modify behavior. Through operant conditioning, ...

Scottish philosopher James Beattie said a mouthful when he observed that "in every age and every man, there is something to praise as well as to blame." In other words, people face a choice when ...

Negative reinforcement encourages specific behaviors by removing or avoiding negative consequences or stimuli. It is different than punishment, which aims to discourage a specific behavior. Negative ...