Negative Reinforcement
Also called: escape contingency, avoidance contingency, SR-
Definition
A contingency in which a stimulus is removed, reduced, or postponed immediately following a response, and the future frequency of that response increases as a result. The defining feature is the increase in responding, not the pleasantness of what was removed. Escape describes removal of a stimulus already present; avoidance describes postponing or preventing one.
In plain language
Something goes away right after a behavior, and the person does that behavior more often from then on. Negative here means something was taken away. It does not mean bad.
Examples
A learner signs "break," the worksheet is put away, and over the next week they sign "break" more often when work is presented.
The worksheet was removed and signing increased, so the contingency reinforced signing.
You put on a coat before going outside in the cold, and you keep doing this every winter.
Putting the coat on prevents the cold, and the behavior maintains over time.
Not negative reinforcement
A learner is told "no" after grabbing a toy and grabs less often afterward. Nothing was removed, so this is punishment rather than negative reinforcement.
Work is taken away after screaming but the screaming stays exactly as frequent as before. Without an increase in behavior, no reinforcement has occurred.
Commonly confused with
See also
Written from
- baer-wolf-risley-1968
- iwata-1982-1994 — Escape-maintained responding
Written from the standard operant framework and Iwata et al. on escape-maintained behavior. No textbook glossary consulted or paraphrased.
This entry has not yet been through clinical review. Treat it as a draft.