Download Running head: REINFORCEMENT METHODS REINFORCEMENT

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Running head: REINFORCEMENT METHODS
Reinforcement Methods:
Positive and Negative
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REINFORCEMENT METHODS
Childhood is a time of growth and development. As children pass from infancy to
toddlerhood, early childhood, and then later stages of childhood, they are forming their concept
of life. They are forming habits, and learning how to behave. As young children have not yet
reached the age of reason, which usually begins around the age of seven (Brodkin, 2006), their
actions are heavily influenced by the consequences and responses they elicit. As a result, the
presence and guidance of parents and educators takes on an essential role in the life of young
children, and helps define the children’s patterns of behaviors and habits. Reinforcements are
common means that can be used in forming and guiding young children. A reinforcement can be
defined as “a consequence that follows an operant response that increases (or attempts to
increase) the likelihood of that response occurring in the future” (Reinforcement, 2010). Many
forms of reinforcement help guide children to right behavioral tendencies and habits. The
different reinforcements can be grouped based on their positive or negative value. Positive
reinforcements include intrinsic reinforcement, positive reinforcement, and praising or rewarding
a child when catching them behaving well, or favoring the better of two incompatible behaviors.
Negative reinforcements include natural consequences, withdrawal of something desired,
reprimands, the sit and watch method and the time out method.
Positive Reinforcements
Intrinsic impulse is feeling pleasure and personal satisfaction from accomplishing a task
or trying something new. An example of this would be a toddler who puts on her shoes for the
first time and feels a sense of accomplishment.
Positive reinforcement is a positive reaction that leads to increased response of a
particular behavior. An example of this would be clapping your hands after a child has sat on the
potty. Praise and affirmation is another form of positive reinforcement.
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REINFORCEMENT METHODS
Incompatible behaviors are two behaviors that cannot occur at the same time together. A
child cannot sit quietly and stand up at the same time. Attention should be given to the children
who are sitting quietly, if this is the desired action.
To catch a child being good means to notice and reward that child for an appropriate
behavior that the child has taken on unprompted by someone else. More focus and attention
should be placed on the child who is behaving well than on a child misbehaving, as excessive
attention can spur misbehavior. Rewards should be given to children who are “caught being
good,” or doing appropriate behavior.
Negative Reinforcements
The concept of negative reinforcement involves the removal of an unpleasant
consequence. A child who is nagged to take out the garbage and then does it to simply avoid
being nagged is an example of negative reinforcement.
Natural consequences are consequences that occur without intervention from parents or
teachers. They are consequences that occur all on their own. An example of a natural
consequence would be if a child leaves the caps off the markers. The markers dry out and the
child will no longer be able to use the markers to color.
Withholding or withdraw and reinforcement involves taking something away. An
example of withdrawn or withholding reinforcements would include taking a toy away from a
child who's been misusing it. Another example would be ignoring a child who is doing
something negative just to gain attention. By withdrawing attention, the parent reinforces in the
child’s mind that misbehaving will not bring about desired consequences.
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REINFORCEMENT METHODS
Reminder or redirection and reprimands are often very effective for small children,
infants and toddlers. A short, sharp “NO” given at eye level as a toddler pulls on the dogs ears is
effective in an effective way of reinforcing in that child’s mind not to repeat the behavior.
The sit and watch method involves having a child sit off to the side and watch the other
children lay appropriately. This could involve having a child sit outside circle time in watching
other children participate in circle time. This technique teaches a child what constitutes
appropriate behavior by having them witness it in their peers. After a few brief minutes the child
should be allowed to return to the activity and try again, provided that he/she has read and stated
what the appropriate or corrected behavior must be.
Finally, time out refers to the removal of all reinforcement, including attention materials
playmates and equipment. It is considered a last resort technique and should only be used for
seriously inappropriate behaviors. Placing a child in a corner for three minutes is an example of
timeout.
Conclusion
All of these forms of reinforcement make an impression on the child’s mind and memory,
thus either encouraging good behavior to be repeated, or discouraging bad behavior from being
repeated. Throughout the child’s day, a combination of both positive and negative methods of
reinforcement will be needed, to respond adequately to the different situations that arise.
Whenever possible, however, more emphasis should be placed on positive reinforcement and
rewarding positive behavior, as this is a more productive approach. Negative reinforcement
helps prevent misbehavior, but does not help the child develop in a constructive manner.
Positive reinforcement, on the other hand, helps the child know what to do, in addition to what
not to do, and thus fosters a healthy sense of freedom and goodness.
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REINFORCEMENT METHODS
References
Brodkin, Adele. (2006). The age of reason. Scholastic. Retrieved from
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=7241
Reinforcement. (2010). University of Iowa. Retrieved from
http://www.psychology.uiowa.edu/Faculty/Wasserman/Glossary/reinforcement.html