Reinforcement

Reinforcement

Reinforcement is a process that increases the frequency of targeted behavior by either using a negative stimulus or a positive stimulus. An electrical shock (negative stimulus) can make a human jump (targeted behavior) just as well as surprising someone with a million dollars (positive stimulus). In this example, electrical shock and money are both reinforcers even though one is considered unpleasant by most. As reinforcers, both increase the probability that the behavior (in this case, jumping) will occur again.