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1 Punishment: Positive vs. Negative Desiree M. Reese Capella University Psych 7708 Shelley Hyde 5/23/21

2 Punishment: Positive vs. Negative One of the most controversial interventions in Applied Behavior Analysis is punishment. Although punishment occurs naturally, such as touching a hot pan and getting burned, the negative connotation of punishment is problematic for some to get past. Punishment, as it relates to ABA, can only be defined by the behavior that occurs in the future, and only the behavior can be punished, not the individual (Miltenberger, 2014). Punishment can not be defined whether the punisher simply appears aversive or unpleasant (Miltenberger, 2014). Ethical considerations for punishment can include potential side effects such as aggression and behaviors of avoidance and escape (Cooper et al., 2020). Punishment will take the place of a consequence immediately following a behavior, and this punishment can be either positive or negative. Definitions Positive punishment occurs when an aversive stimulus is added immediately after a problem behavior that can decrease the occurrence of the behavior in the future (Cooper et al., 2020, Miltenberger, 2014). With positive punishment, the stimulus produced was absent before the problem behavior (Cooper et al., 2020). When implementing positive punishment immediately after the problem behavior, an aversive stimulus can be presented or increased to decrease the problem behavior. Positive punishment can only be effective if the stimulus being added is aversive to the individual displaying the behavior or the added stimulus is incompatible with the problem behavior. For example, if Tina pulls another student’s hair while walking in the hall, adding a punisher of holding a fidget in each hand would make this behavior incompatible. It would be difficult to pull someone else’s hair if Tina is told to hold a fidget in each hand. A $400 fine might be more aversive to someone living in poverty than someone living in a mansion; therefore, the punishment of receiving a fine will likely be more effective for the

3 person living in poverty than the person living in a mansion. The consequence can not be defined as a punishment until it can be observed in the future if the behavior has decreased. Negative punishment occurs when a reinforcing stimulus is removed immediately after the problem behavior that can decrease the occurrence of the behavior in the future (Cooper et al., 2020, Miltenberger, 2014). When selecting a reinforcing stimulus to be removed, one must pick a reinforcer that the individual already has in their position or has earned (Cooper et al., 2020, Miltenberger, 2014). Negative punishment can only be effective if the stimulus being removed is reinforcing to the individual displaying the behavior or the removed stimulus is incompatible with the problem behavior. For example, if a child stays out past his curfew removing the child’s phone might not be effective if the child has a computer that they can use to talk to their friends. If a child’s favorite activity is drawing, but her crayons are removed immediately after she draws on the wall, the consequence of her crayons being removed will likely act as an effective punisher. Similarities The fundamental similarity between positive and negative punishment is that they both aim to decrease targeted problem behaviors (Cooper et al., 2020, Miltenberger, 2014). Both positive and negative punishment is defined by the behavior that occurs in the future (Cooper et al., 2020, Miltenberger, 2014). If the problem behavior continues to happen, then punishment, whether positive or negative, has not occurred. Both positive and negative punishment refers to the behavior and not the individual (Cooper et al., 2020). A behavior can be punished, but the individual is not.

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