The Behavioral Definition of Punishment - 1907 Words

This paper will provide the behavioral definition of punishment and give examples of both positive and negative punishment in different types of settings. The guidelines for the effective use of punishment, as well as legal and ethical issues that should be considered by the Behavior Analyst while designing a behavior intervention plan are identified. The term punishment as used in operant conditioning refers to any change that occurs after a behavior happens that reduces the likelihood that the behavior will follow again in the future. Punishment occurs when a response is followed immediately by a stimulus change that decreases the future frequency of similar responses. Behaviorist B.F. Skinner was the first psychologist to identify†¦show more content†¦The mere mention of the word punishment as in the origin of the word make most people think of causing pain when in fact negative punishment is very different from corporal punishment. Corporal punishment is the use of p hysical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain but not injury for the purposes of correction or control of the childs behavior (Gershoff, 2002). Behavior change strategies based on negative punishment involve taking away a desirable stimulus after a behavior occurs. Punishment has occurred when a response is followed immediately by a stimulus change to decrease the future frequency of the behavior. Positive punishment aids in the decrease in the problem behavior. Reprimand is one of the most common forms of positive punishments. A firm No or Stop delivered immediately on the occurrence of an undesirable behavior will significantly reduce the chance of the behavior being repeated in the future. Verbal praise is a form of positive punishment. In a study using 2  ½ to 7-year-olds praise was used to reward compliance by the parents in the home (Owen, 2012). Parent training on elements of praise and positive attention was conducted at the onset of the study. The setting of this study was conducted in the home setting for handling noncompliance. The methods of punishment explored for this study were the effects of parental praise, positive nonverbal responses, reprimand, and negative nonverbal responses.Show MoreRelatedEffects of Corporal Punishment on Children When Used in the Home1354 Words   |  6 PagesEffects of Corporal Punishment on Children When Used in the Home Discussion about corporal punishment is everywhere. It is in the news and in the home, and in education on what is punishment and what is abuse is beginning to rise. Corporal punishment has been used as a disciplinary tool for parents throughout all of Americas history (Gershoff, 2002, p. 1). However, the definition of what corporal punishment actually is, is still unclear to some people and parents. In Wendy Walshs essay, SpankerRead MoreThe Effects Of Spanking On Child Aggression1184 Words   |  5 Pagesother words, A spanking at age 5 resulted in externalizing behavioral issues at age 9. Frequent spanking in early childhood is an established risk factor for later childhood behavioral problems as well as mental disorder in adulthood in Western societies, but the risks haven’t extensively researched in other societies. Recently a study was conducted in Japan to investigate the relatedness between spanking of toddlers and later behavioral problems in Japanese children. The study us a LongitudinalRead MoreA Debate: Punishment is a Sustained Form of Modifying Behavior1127 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The debate of whether punishment is a sustained form of modifying behavior has been around for decades. Whether or not negative reinforcement works better than positive reinforcement can be discussed and further supported by current research (Gershoff, 2010). 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