Some of the most common tools parents and teachers use for managing children’s behaviors are rewards and punishments. While these methods tend to lose effectiveness as a child ages, there are times ...

Another one of my pet peeves is the fact that many people – civilians and scientists alike – use the phrase “negative reinforcement” to mean “punishment.” The two are not at all the same; in fact, ...

To put it mildly, parenting can be rough. It's difficult to know what to do, and especially with a toddler or young child, quick thinking is required. As the mom of a 2-year-old, I'll admit that ...

Reinforcement is defined as “the action of strengthening or encouraging something.” Many people think reinforcement means providing rewards, especially for good behavior. While this is true, ...

A "punisher" is defined as an event that follows a given response and reduces the future rate of that behavior. For example, if a child has their video game taken away for not completing their ...

There are four main types of reinforcement in operant conditioning: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, ...