Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site molihp.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcsri!ubc-vision!molihp!martinl From: martinl@molihp.UUCP (Martin M Lacey) Newsgroups: net.kids Subject: Re: Positive Reinforcement Message-ID: <126@molihp.UUCP> Date: Tue, 31-Dec-85 13:38:29 EST Article-I.D.: molihp.126 Posted: Tue Dec 31 13:38:29 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 1-Jan-86 02:45:45 EST References: <283@h.cs.cmu.edu> <625@cylixd.UUCP> Reply-To: martinl@HP-UX.UUCP (Martin M Lacey) Organization: Moli Energy, Vancouver, B.C., CANADA Lines: 34 Summary: In article <625@cylixd.UUCP> dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby) writes: >In article <283@h.cs.cmu.edu> rfb@h.cs.cmu.edu (Rick Busdiecker) writes: >> ...Positive reinforcement is *always* better >>than punishment and it will produce other good qualities in your kids. > > >Just an open question here to all who are familiar with developmental >psychology. Once the positive reinforcement is taken away (certainly >you aren't going to lavish praise on your child EVERY time he doesn't >defacate on the carpet?), doesn't the behaviour diminish? It would seem >to me that positive reinforcement would teach the child to do a >certain thing EXPECTING to be praised for it. Once the praise disappears, >the child would then have no reason to continue behaving that way. > >----------------------------------------------------------------- >Dave Kirby ( ...!ihnp4!akgub!cylixd!dave) Dave, Its been a while since I had taken a psychology course, but I seem to remember several experiments on types reinforcement and their regularity. It seems, if memory serves correctly, that the positive reinforcement makes a greater effect when administered randomly. That is to say, don't give praise on every occations or every other occation, but space the praise in regard to the last TIME a reward was given; making the time interval roughly equivilent. I *believe* this is correct, but I am more than happy to be corrected. Martin the Magician.