Part of Learning theory

1. Punishment
Dr. Sachin Nepali
JR-1

2. Introduction
 One of the techniques used in
Instrumental conditioning
 Punisher
 It is a stimulus or event which, when its onset is
contingent on a response, decreases the likelihood that
the response will occur again.
 Response followed by punishers tend not to be
repeated
 i.e, here the punishers is used to supress/stop a
response from occuring in the future.

3. Punishment
(decrease behaviour)
Negative Punishment
Removing pleasant stimulus
Positive Punishment
Adding unpleasant stimulus
Yelling at child if he/she runs in
the street
Paying fines when violating traffic
rules

4. Negative Punishment
• A teenager comes home late during evening and the parents
take away a privilege, such as cell phone usage. If the
frequency of the child coming home late decreases, the
privilege is gradually restored. The removal of the phone is
negative punishment because the parents are taking away a
pleasant stimulus (the phone) and motivating the child to
return home earlier.
• A child throws a temper tantrum because they want ice
cream. His/her mother subsequently ignores him/her, making
it less likely the child will throw a temper tantrum in the
future when they want something. The removal of attention
from his mother is a negative punishment because a pleasant
stimulus (attention) is taken away.

5. Why Punishment is important?
 It will promote the learning of what not to do
 Learning not to play with fire, not to steal, not to
exceed the speed limit.
 Parents and society try to teach the dont’s through
the use of positive reinforcement and punishment
and often through punishment alone

6. When does punishment Work ?
The more intense the punishment, the more effective it
often is
Mild punishment tend to supress behavior temporarily,
i.e the punished behaviour will return soon unless
intense punishment is used. Eg;
Roberry
Rape
Antinational work

7. • Consistency in punishment
– If punishment is administered more consistently, even if it
is mild, it will be more effective
– Eg; when violating traffic rules, consistently fine should
should be taken
• Contingent upon the occurrence of some response
– The closer the punishment is in time and place to the
behaviour being punished, the more effective it will be
– the longer the time interval between an unwanted
behavior and a punishing effect, the less effective the
punishment will be
• People and animals adapt to punishment and this
may weaken its effectiveness.
– Eg; A person involving in roberry, caught by police,
released with fews days

8. • Even mild punishment can be quite effective if
it is used to supress one behavior, while at the
same time positive reinforcement is used to
make another behaviour .
Eg;
During a shopping trip in Malls, when child is moving here and
there, first scolding and then providing an ice cream cone when
he stays quiet and obedient, it is likely that he/she would stay
quiet in hope of getting icecream

9. Positive Punishment Negative Reinforcement
Something unpleasant is added Something unpleasant is taken away
Decrease a bad behaviour Increase a good behaviour
Spanking a child when he throws a
tantrum
Removing restrictions from a child when
she follows the rules
Spanking = added
Throwing tantrum = discouraging a bad
behavior
Set of restriction = unpleasant, taken
away
Following rules = encouraging a good
behaviour
For example, a teacher can eliminate that night's homework if
kids study hard and accomplish a lot in class. If this happens
multiple times, the kids will consistently work harder and be
more productive while in the classroom

10. Positive Punishment Positive Reinforcement
Something unpleasant is added Something pleasant is added
Decrease a bad behaviour Increase a good behaviour
Spanking a child when he throws a
tantrum
treating a child to an ice cream cone
when he stays quiet and obedient during
a shopping trip
Spanking = added
Throwing tantrum = discouraging a bad
behavior
Icecream = pleasant, added
Staying quiet = encouraging a good
behaviour

11. Use of Punishment
 We often hear that parents should never punish their
children
 Parents should know what they are doing and for
what and when they use punishment to mold
behavior
Children running in streets,
playing with knives
Strong
Punishmen
t

12.  Mild punishment can be effective if is used to halt
unwanted behaviors while establishing another
alternative behavior
Child is fooling around in supermarket and randomly
pulling things from shelves
Mild scolding Supress behavior
Parents could set child to
sorting items in market basket,
praising
Positively reinforcing and
establishing another desirable
behaviour
Here, one behaviour is weakened, making another desirable
behavior more likely to occur

13. Problems with Punishment:
 Parents should not use punishment as the major
means of controlling behaviour
 It will lose its effectiveness if done in almost
everything what the child does.
 Punishment being noxious event can be US for fear
Child may become fearful of and hostile towards who punish
them
Child may think he/she is the object of constant disapproval

14. • Causes increased aggression - shows that aggression is
a way to cope with problems.
• Creates fear that can generalize to undesirable
behaviors, e.g., fear of school.
• Punished behavior is not forgotten, it's suppressed -
behavior returns when punishment is no longer
present.
• Does not necessarily guide toward desired behavior -
reinforcement tells you what to do, punishment only
tells you what not to do.

15. Note:
 What is the best type of punishment to use ?
 Should it be a verbal reprimand/yelling or something
else?
 All we can say is as living is an art, so is the
application of psychological principles in molding the
behaviour
 One must see what works in particular situations
with particular people

16. Summary
 It is designed to weaken or eliminate a response
rather than increase it
 Two types:
 Positive: adding unpleasant stimulus
 Negative: Removing pleasant stimulus
 It will promote the learning of what not to do
 Punishment to be effective:
 Intense
 Mild with positive reinforcement
 Consistent
 Appropriate to time and place

17.  Problems:
 Supressed behaviour might awake if punishment is
removed
 Causes increased aggression - shows that aggression is
a way to cope with problems.
 Creates fear that can generalize to undesirable behaviors,
e.g., fear of school.
 Does not necessarily guide toward desired behavior -
reinforcement tells you what to do, punishment only tells
you what not to do.