Abnormal Psychology

Understanding Psychological Disorders: The Neuropsychosocial Approach 51

Positive punishment

The type of punishment that takes

place when a behavior is followed by an

undesirable consequence, which makes the

behavior less likely to recur.

Negative punishment

The type of punishment that takes place

when a behavior is followed by the removal of

a pleasant or desired event or circumstance,

which decreases the probability of that

behavior’s recurrence.

of punishment: positive punishment and negative punishment. Positive punishment

takes place when a behavior is followed by an undesirable consequence, which

makes the behavior less likely to recur. In other words, an undesired stimulus is

added in response to a behavior. For example, imagine that every time a young boy

sings along with a song playing on the radio, his older sister makes fun of him (an

undesirable consequence): In the future, he won’t sing as often when she’s around.

That boy has experienced positive punishment.

Some parents use corporal punishment—spanking or slapping a child after a

misbehavior—as positive punishment, believing that hitting a child after a misbe-

havior will decrease the likelihood of that behavior’s recurring. Although a specifi c

misbehavior may—or may not—become less likely if it is followed by corporal

punishment, nonphysical forms of punishment can work just as well; examples of

nonphysical punishments include time out and being grounded (Larzelere & Kuhn,

2005). (As we shall discuss shortly, though, these nonphysical punishments are

negativerather than positive punishments.) Moreover, one reason to avoid using

corporal punishment is that being physically punished in childhood may, for some

children, lead to an increased risk of depression and substance abuse in adulthood

(Afi fi et al., 2006).

Negative punishment occurs when a behavior is followed by the removal of a

pleasant or desired event or circumstance, which decreases the probability of that

behavior’s recurrence. Negative punishment occurs, for example, when a teenager

stays out too late with friends and then her parents take away her access to televi-

sion (or cell phone, email, use of the car, or something else she likes) for a week. Big

Edie’s father tried to use negative punishment to modify her behavior: He decreased

her monthly allowance, repeatedly reduced her inheritance, and even told her that

he was doing this because of her eccentric behavior. His attempts at negative pun-

ishment did not work, however, which indicates that the consequence he picked—

taking away some money—was not meaningful enough to Big Edie.

The four types of operant conditioning are compared in Table 2.1.

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School detention is an attempt at positive

punishment: Imposing the consequence of

detention on students who exhibit troublesome

behaviors should decrease the likelihood of those

behaviors in the future.

Type of Conditioning How It Occurs Result Example

Positive Reinforcement Desired

consequence

is produced by

behavior.

Increased likelihood

of the behavior

A pleasant effect from

drug use makes drug

use more likely to

recur.

Negative Reinforcement Undesired event

or circumstance

is removed after

behavior.

Increased likelihood

of the behavior

The uncomfortable

feeling of having dirty

hands is relieved by

washing them (which

makes such washing

more likely to recur).

Positive Punishment Undesired

consequence

is produced by

behavior.

Decreased likelihood

of the behavior

A sister’s humiliating

comment about her

brother’s singing

along with the radio

makes future singing

in her presence less

likely to recur.

Negative Punishment Pleasant event

or circumstance

is removed after

behavior.

Decreased likelihood

of the behavior

Removing a television

from a teenager’s

room after he stays

out too late makes

staying out too late

less likely to recur.

Table 2.1 • Four Types of Operant Conditioning