Psychology of Learning

Behavior. To Reinforce or To Punish?

“Skinner’s most influential concept was operant conditioning, which proposes that behavior is shaped by its consequences. According to Skinner, behaviors that are reinforced are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors that are punished are less likely to occur.”

He underlined that punishment in most cases will lead to learning how to avoid the punishment rather than change the behavior of the subject in a positive way.

“Techniques such as token economies, where desired behaviors are rewarded with tokens that can be exchanged for privileges or rewards, became widely used in psychiatric settings to promote behavior change.”

“Skinner has written a novel, ‘Walden Two”, which sparked debate about the role of social engineering and environmental influences on human behavior. In the book, Skinner envisioned a society in which behavior is shaped by positive reinforcement, leading to harmony, productivity, and fulfilment for all members.”

Source of the text from “The Power of Reinforcement”.