This may be relief from pain or the removal of some barrier that is keeping us from obtaining something we want. Negative reinforcement strengthens a behavior by removing whatever barrier is in the way or causing us difficulty. When punishmen t occurs our tendency to repeat whatever action or behavior may have been is weakened. Punishment may include spanking, scolding, to the removal of something pleasant. This learning approach by Skinner maintains that any action that is followed by some pleasant consequences or action that ends some unpleasant consequences or action that ends some unpleasant situation is strengthened or reinforced or it may be weakened or eliminated if punishment occurs.
Positive reinforcement brings pleasant consequences.
Negative Reinforcement removes something unpleasant from the immediate situation. This may be relief from pain, the ending of arguments or cries or the removal of some barrier that is keeping us from obtaining something we want. With negative reinforcement a behavior is strengthened by removing whatever barrier is in the way or causing us difficulty. When punishment occurs our tendency to repeat whatever action or behavior may have been is weakened. Punishment may included any unpleasant consequence, from a spanking or a scolding to the removal of something pleasant such as not watching a favorite TV show or playing outside.