Linda Eskin's Personal Site

Linda Eskin's Explanation of Negative Reinforcement

People get this wrong so often it makes my head spin, and I'm on a personal crusade to correct it. The definition was wrong in the glossary of a donkey training book I just got, which makes me question the rest of the book as well. Even my psych texts in college would get it wrong half the time. The UC Davis Book of horses has it mixed up with punisment. It's no wonder people are confused. Here goes my attempt, at least... :-)

"Punishment" is something bad (painful, startling, loud, scary, whatever) that is done immediately after a behavior, in hopes of discouraging that behavior. A horse threatens to bite you, and you smack it. Your kid throws a ball through the window and you send him to his room. You flirt with the wrong person at a party, and your date gives you the cold shoulder for the rest of the evening... See?

"Negative Reinforcement" is a whole different ball of wax. It is the *cessation* of an unpleasant stimulus, which acts as a reward for doing the right thing.

Examples of negative reinforcement:

A baby is wailing. You feed it. It *stops* wailing.
You tap, tap, tap your horse with a dressage whip. It takes a step forward. You *stop* tapping.
You pull back on the reins. The horse slows down. You *release* the pull on the reins.
You squeeze with your legs. The horse moves forward. You *stop* squeezing.
When your horse gets back to the barn, it gets to *stop* working.
"Positive Reinforcement" is something pleasant that happens after the behavior - You say "walk", your horse takes a step, you say "Good Girl!" or give her a treat.

I heard someone at EqWest a few weeks ago (Shawna Karrasch of On Target Training, a former Sea World Marine Mammal Trainer) talking about a new terminology that I think makes a heck of a lot of sense, especially given the confusion surrounding "positive" and "negative" reinforcement. She uses "additive reinforcement" (instead of positive) and "removal reinforcement" (instead of negative).

In additive reinforcement, something is added, the addition of which reinforces the behavior. (You add treats and pats.)

In removal reinforcement, something is removed, the removal of which reinforces the behavior. (You remove annoying taps, or leg pressure.)

Clear?

Folding up my soapbox and heading for the barn...

Linda