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Negative reinforcement is not punishment
Reinforcement increases a behaviour; punishment aims to decrease it.
The idea
In negative reinforcement, an unpleasant stimulus is removed after an action. Negative describes removal, not a bad outcome.
An example
A seat-belt warning stops when you buckle up, encouraging the action.
Put it into practice
Ask whether the behaviour increases or decreases.
Further reading: OpenStax · Psychology 2e ↗
Test yourself: A warning sound stops when a seat belt is fastened. What is this?
Negative reinforcement
Removing the unpleasant sound encourages fastening the seat belt.
Explanation and illustrative examples by One Card Wiser. Source linked for further reading.
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