Therefore, study for an exam in as similar a state or condition as you can to the one you'll be in at exam time. For example, suppose that you date and fall in love with some handsome gent. During this dating period you keep hearing one of the popular songs of the day played over and over again. You would probably find that very pleasant feelings were conditioned to not only the person you were dating but also to the song you kept hearing. One problem associated with punishment is that the results are not as predictable as those of reward.
People respond erratically to punishment.
Another disadvantage of punishment is that its effects are less permanent than those of reward. Shortly after the punishment is administered, the person reverts to the unacceptable behavior. Punishment also falls short because it is frequently accompanied negative attitudes toward the punisher and the activity itself. If you punish another person, expect some anger in retaliation. Many cases of sabotage can be traced to an employee angered by a recent punishment.