What is positive-punishment in psychology?

What is Positive Punishment?

Positive Punishment is when you add a stimulus to help remove a certain behavior. For example, if you shout at your child who has their hand near the stove, they will likely move and avoid burning their hand.

Positive punishment is a method used to curb undesirable behaviors from happening. Let's say you have a cat that won't stop hopping up onto the countertop. You want this behavior to stop. There are a few different routes that you could go about, but one of the most well-known is spraying the cat with water. (Some people use lemon water, vinegar, or a mix of these things, but they are all considered “positive punishment.”)

Why is this a “positive” punishment? Well, rather than taking something away, you are adding something to produce a negative outcome.

You are adding the spray so it may be associated with the behavior of jumping on the countertop. Nothing is being taken away from the cat - no food, toys, etc. This is what we mean by “positive” punishment. This term doesn't speak to whether or not the experience is positive for anyone involved, or whether it's a positive way to curb unwanted behavior. You are simply adding something to the situation. Don't worry. I'll offer some more examples if you're still scratching your head over the idea of “positive” punishment. But before we dive into that, let's talk about where this concept came from.

Operant Conditioning

Punishment, as well as reinforcement, are important concepts within the idea of operant conditioning, or Skinnerian conditioning. This last name is a reference to B.F. Skinner, the American behavioral psychologist who shaped the way that many people in the field look at learning and behavior. About 30 years before Skinner came on the scene, Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov had conducted some pretty famous experiments on dogs. These experiments suggested that behaviors could be learned by associating one thing with another, like a bell with drooling. But Skinner didn't want to make dogs drool at the sound of a bell. He looked deeper into what motivated people.

By understanding our motivations, he thought, he could shape the way that people make decisions and behave. Even though Skinner first brought the ideas of positive punishment or negative reinforcement to the world of psychology in the 1930s, they have clearly stuck. Parents, teachers, law enforcement officers - even friends, coaches, or partners - use positive punishment and other concepts within operant conditioning to produce desired effects. Even though behaviorism is not the central focus of most psychologists, concepts within behaviorism, including positive punishment, still remain as practices today.

Even if you never identified certain consequences as “positive punishment,” you were continuing the legacy of BF Skinner and other behavioral psychologists. Positive punishment is one of four (positive parenting) methods of modifying behavior according to the theory of operant conditioning (Skinner, 1971). The four types are:

1. Positive punishment
2. Positive reinforcement
3. Negative punishment
4. Negative reinforcement

These methods are categorized based on two factors:

1. 1. Whether you are trying to encourage (reinforce) or discourage (punish) behavior.
2. 2. Whether you are adding something to influence behavior (positive) or taking something away to influence behavior (negative).

Examples of Positive Punishment

By now, you might have a good idea of what positive punishment looks like. You have experienced it at school, at work, or at home.

Positive punishment looks like this:

1. Telling your child to write a note of apology to a classmate whose feelings they've hurt
2. A coach telling someone on their team to do 20 push-ups after mouthing off
3. A woman slapping a man in the face after he said something inappropriate to her
4. A shock collar shocking a dog if they try to leave their family yard
5. Shouting at a child who is putting their hand near the stove
6. A police officer gives you a ticket because you failed to put your lights on
7. A parent gives their children extra chores because they stole an ice cream bar from the fridge
8. A manager raises his voice at an employee who is using their personal phone during office hours, humiliating the employee
9. Fraternity brothers forcing rushes to eat dog food for getting answers wrong on a quiz

Clearly, there is a wide range of examples of positive punishment, and not all of them appear like they are great solutions to the problem of unwanted behavior. But each of these examples have one thing in common. Something is “added” as a response to an undesirable behavior. That something could be a shout, a slap, or a task. Nothing is taken away. The intention of adding this shout, slap, etc. is to make sure the person does not complete that behavior again.

Does it Work?

Anyone who has a cat that likes to jump on countertops or a child with a dangerous curiosity knows that positive punishment isn't always a “one and done” situation. Sometimes, it is. Your parents could shout at you one time after you put your hand near the stove and you'll never do it again. But, like the motivations of people and animals, positive punishment is more complicated than that. This is what psychologists like BF Skinner wanted to figure out when they conducted experiments regarding operant conditioning and punishment.

Consider the Effects of Positive Punishment

Even BF Skinner knew that positive punishment wasn't the only way to change behavior. He urged people to consider other motivations, feelings, or effects that may come into play when introducing adverse stimuli after an unwanted behavior.

In the 1930s, corporal punishment was a very common punishment in school and at home. Children who behaved badly were hit with rulers, paddles, or hands. Obviously, this punishment isn't so common today. As psychologists looked closer at this form of positive punishment, they saw that there were many other side effects that occurred alongside curbing the unwanted behavior. Children who were hit or spanked not only received physical injuries, but they were also affected mentally. Corporal punishment is linked to antisocial behavior and increased aggression. The effects are so consequential that 30 countries have banned corporal punishment of children in one form or another.

Does this mean all forms of positive punishment are bad? Not necessarily. The examples given earlier range widely, and not all include physical violence or laying a hand on someone (or something) else. I use this example simply as a reminder that curbing behavior isn't so simple. Your actions could have unwanted effects. Referring to psychologists and other experts can offer guidance on what punishments (or reinforcements) work best on children, pets, etc.

How to Best Use Positive Punishment

There are ways that you or another person can approach positive punishment in a way that curbs unwanted behaviors without any other side effects. Adverse stimuli that are less aggressive or violent could discourage a child from performing a behavior without affecting their mental or physical health. Asking a child to do tedious chores in response to a bad behavior has the potential to be far less damaging than smacking them. Talking them through the positive punishment can also help the child to connect the undesirable behavior with the adverse stimuli.

Immediacy also helps to build the association between the behavior and the stimuli. If you were to smack a child for something they did three weeks prior, they are unlikely to understand why they are receiving that punishment. In future videos about reinforcement, we will discuss the “schedules” that behavioral psychologists have mapped out if you want to reinforce a positive behavior. The optimal “schedule” for positive punishment is one that is consistent and immediately after the unwanted behavior.

Positive punishment is just one way to try and curb unwanted behavior. A person could try, for example, to use negative punishment, in which they take something away from a person or animal immediately after displaying an unwanted behavior. And in situations where a person wants to encourage wanted behaviors, reinforcement may be used. Positive punishment is just one tiny piece of operant conditioning, which is one piece of behaviorism, which is just one school in the study of psychology! There is still a lot more to learn!

The Positive Effects of Punishment

Although “punishment” sounds inherently negative, it's not necessarily a negative thing. In operant conditioning, punishment is simply the discouragement of a behavior; it can be as benign as sitting a child down and explaining to them why they should no longer engage in a bad behavior.

The positive outcomes of using punishment include:

1. The child is informed that their behavior is not acceptable, and now knows what not to do in the future.
2. The child is given a punishment or negative consequence, which teaches her that behavior has consequences and will hopefully help her associate the two.
3. The child is given a good reason to behave more appropriately in the future, and eventually should be given an opportunity to do so.

Of course, there are some downsides to punishment as well:

1. 1. Punished behavior is not necessarily forgotten, just suppressed, meaning that it may return when the punishment is no longer implemented.
2. 2. It may cause increased aggression and teach the child that aggression is a good way to solve problems (only with certain types of punishment).
3. 3. It can create fears that generalize to other situations (e.g., a child who is punished for being disruptive may withdraw and begin to fear social situations).
4. 4. It does not always guide the child toward the desired behavior; it tells the child what not to do, but may not tell the child what he or she should do instead (McLeod, 2018).

Ideally, a child would be raised with both reinforcement and punishment in a healthy mix—receiving rewards for good behavior and being corrected for bad behavior. Often, both are vital pieces of parenting and each can accomplish what the other fails to accomplish. For example, reinforcement is a great tool for encouraging good behavior, but it gives the child no feedback on bad behavior (although sometimes the bad behavior is simply the opposite of the good, like adhering to the curfew vs. breaking the curfew). Likewise, punishment is good for discouraging bad behavior, but it has the unfortunate flaw of telling the child nothing about which behavior is actually desired. Of course, these flaws in each method largely disappear when parents employ both methods and are communicative about what they expect to see and what they expect not to see from their child.

6 Examples of Positive Punishment in Practice

There are many more ways to use positive punishment to influence behavior, including:

1. Yelling at a child for bad behavior.
2. Forcing them to do an unpleasant task when they misbehave.
3. Adding chores and responsibilities when he fails to follow the rules.
4. Assigning students who forget to turn in their assignment extra work.
5. Adding extra sensitivity training to employees who offend or harass someone at work.
6. Implementing more rules and restrictions when a teen misses curfew.

Not all of these punishments are necessarily good ways to discourage behavior, but they are examples of the concept of positive punishment.

6 Examples of Negative Reinforcement in Practice

There are also many examples of negative reinforcement in practice (with varying degrees of effectiveness), including:

1. 1. Removing strict parental controls on the internet or tv when a child proves herself responsible enough to handle more mature content.
2. 2. Allowing a child to go out without a chaperone when she stops pushing the boundaries of her parents' rules.
3. 3. Removing responsibility for a household chore in order to reward a child for completing her other chores to her parents' satisfaction.
4. 4. Removing the curfew when a teenager has proven she is responsible and practices common sense.
5. 5. Removing obstacles to autonomy (e.g., rigid timelines or prescribed ways of carrying out tasks) when an employee successfully completes an important project.
6. 6. Abolishing the practice of clocking in and out when employees have proven they can be trusted to accurately report their time worked.

Using Positive Punishment with Children

Positive punishment can be an extremely effective tool in the parents' toolbox, and as we learned above, it doesn't have to be physical. Positive punishment describes any situation in which parents add something that is undesirable to the child in order to encourage them to refrain from a specific behavior they do not consider appropriate or acceptable. There are many ways to do this. James Lehman, social worker and expert on working with troubled youth, offers these seven guidelines for using positive punishment:

1. Use consequences that have meaning.
2. They should be unpleasant and attached to the behavior they exhibited and the lesson you want them to learn (e.g., being rude to someone may result in having to write a letter of apology for being rude and an explanation of what they will do next time they get angry instead of lashing out).
3. Make consequences black and white.
4. Show your child that behavior A leads to consequence B, no matter why they engaged in behavior A or how they feel about the fairness of consequence B.
5. Have conversations about problem-solving.
6. Depending on the degree of unpleasantness, this may be punishment in itself, but it can be used as a supplement to a punishment as well (e.g., a teenager is punished for missing curfew, but the parents also have a discussion with the teen about their options next time they are tempted to stay out late or in a situation where they may end up breaking curfew).
7. Don't get sucked into an argument over the consequences.
8. Be firm in your decision and don't be swayed by a young child's tantrums or a teenager's (supposed) apathy about the punishment.
9. Engage your child's self-interest.
10. You can do this by encouraging them to answer the question “What are you going to do so you don't get in trouble next time?” Children will never want positive punishment (unless it's an inherently ineffective punishment), so getting them to think about how to avoid that punishment will help encourage better behavior.
11. Hold your child accountable for their own behavior.
12. Even if they don't seem like they care about the punishment, it is their behavior that is important, not how much they seem to care.
13. Don't show disgust or disdain or be sarcastic with your child.
14. The point is to teach your child, not demean or discourage them (Lehman, 2012).

However, there are limits on how and when to use positive punishment; according to James Lehman, grounding your child will only teach them how to “do time,” but it doesn't actually show them how to improve their behavior (Lehman, 2012). Kids that are frequently grounded will eventually get used to it and learn to cope with it, but they won't necessarily learn what you're trying to teach them (see our post on building resilience in children). Instead of providing them with instruction on appropriate behavior and a chance to do better, grounding a child restricts their behavior and keeps them from even having a choice about whether to behave in the desired manner or not. They may feel so restricted that it leaves them with no opportunity to evaluate their choices and make better decisions, giving them no room to grow. Research also shows that positive punishment does not always weaken a person's behavior when punished, it may simply suppress it. If a child fears being punished, they may continue to engage in the bad behavior while they are away from the parent(s) who punishes them. Children will behave when you are looking because they don't like the punishment, but they may still enjoy secretly engaging in the behavior itself (Smith, 2012).

Applying Positive Punishment in the Classroom

Positive punishment can also be used in the classroom, but the same guidelines and caveats listed above apply here as well. There may be less leeway since teachers generally do not have the same authority over children that their parents do, but there is also an added element that can help or harm efforts to use positive punishment: the presence of their peers. Peer pressure is a highly impactful factor that can be harnessed to normalize and encourage good behavior, but punishing children in front of their peers can also cause shame, embarrassment, and seething resentment when applied incorrectly. One of the most important rules to follow when it comes to positive punishment in the classroom is to refrain from using shame or embarrassment as a tool for learning; if a child is embarrassed in front of her peers, she is not likely to think of it as a positive learning experience and may become openly hostile instead of being encouraged to evaluate her own behavior and make better choices. Along with this important rule, follow these six guidelines to ensure positive punishment is used effectively and appropriately in the classroom:

1. 1. Pair positive punishment with positive reinforcement to provide encouragement for desirable behaviors with which students can replace their bad behavior.
2. 2. Use the mildest punishment techniques that are likely to be effective; start off with less intense punishments and work your way up as needed if the mild techniques are ineffective.
3. 3. Do not deprive the student of key opportunities to build their social and academic skills; for example, avoid reducing recess time or handing out suspensions if the child is already awkward with peers or finds it difficult to make friends.
4. 4. Allow students to provide input on any behavior plans being developed; this way, the students will feel they have a voice and will be more likely to accept any punishments they earn.
5. 5. Make sure your plan for encouraging good behavior and discouraging bad behavior is congruent with: a. Your country, state, or territory regulations, and b. Your students' parents!
6. 6. Monitor the effects of your behavior plan to ensure it is working and troubleshoot anything that is not working (Intervention Central, n.d.).

Positive punishment can be a very useful tool in the classroom when applied conscientiously and with careful consideration.

Positive Punishment in the Workplace

Punishment doesn't necessarily stop when we become adults. The idea that punishment can be effective in stopping undesirable employee behaviors, such as tardiness and absenteeism, is a popular one. It's something you've likely seen in your own workplace, either directed towards yourself or someone else. For example, these are all instances of positive punishment at work:

1. - Being verbally scolded by your boss, or perhaps by your Human Resources department.
2. - Being assigned extra training when you break the rules or behave in an unprofessional manner.
3. - Being assigned the tasks no one wants to do for failing to produce quality work on time.
4. - Receiving an official warning for calling off work too often.

In some cases, these forms of punishment can be extremely effective. Sometimes all it takes to discourage bad behavior and encourage good behavior is a “talking to” from your manager. Other times, it's not so effective. Research has shown that positive punishment doesn't always bring about good behavior at work; sometimes, it only temporarily stops one bad behavior from happening and may also lead to fear, psychological tension, anxiety, and other undesirable outcomes. These emotional and behavioral responses are likely to negatively impact work productivity and work behavior (Milbourn Jr., 1996). Similar to the consequences of overzealous or unnecessarily harsh parenting techniques, employees who feel as if they have no choice or control over their work may begin to act out, repress their true intentions, or even engage in more nefarious behavior like embezzling, sabotage, or otherwise undermining their employer. Positive punishment at work may be effective in some cases, but like positive punishment for children, it should be used sparingly, appropriately, and in conjunction with reinforcement techniques.

Other Examples of Positive Punishment

1. 1. Speeding Ticket: A fine imposed for exceeding the speed limit.
2. 2. Classroom Reprimand: Scolding a student for using their phone during class.
3. 3. Dress Code Violation: Issuing a reprimand for wearing inappropriate attire.
4. 4. Late Fees: Charging a late fee for overdue library books.
5. 5. Extra Chores: Assigning additional household chores for breaking house rules.
6. 6. Detention: Keeping a student after school for misbehavior.
7. 7. Noise Complaint: Issuing a warning or fine for loud music late at night.
8. 8. Penalty in Sports: Giving a player a penalty for breaking game rules.
9. 9. Parking Ticket: Fining for parking in a no-parking zone.
10. 10. Suspension: Temporarily removing a student from school for severe infractions.
11. 11. Timeout: Placing a child in timeout for disruptive behavior.
12. 12. Cleaning Duty: Assigning cleaning tasks as a consequence for a mess.
13. 13. Public Apology: Requiring a public apology for inappropriate behavior.
14. 14. Written Apology: Making someone write an apology letter for their actions.
15. 15. Loss of Privileges: Removing certain privileges, like screen time, for misbehavior.
16. 16. Extra Study Assignments: Assigning additional homework for lack of attention in class.

Common Criticisms

As we covered earlier, there are some definite downsides to positive punishment; it can confuse children about what they should be doing instead of the bad behavior, cause them to develop fears or other maladaptive habits or feelings, cause anger or rebelliousness, and may only lead to suppression of the behavior instead of true “extinction” of the behavior. These are some common criticisms of the effectiveness of positive punishment, but there are also some quite strong aversions to positive punishment for another reason: whether it is ethical or not. Many modern parents are averse to any type of positive punishment that involves unpleasant physical consequences, and for good reason—a large body of research shows that physical punishment may not only be ineffective in many cases, it may also result in unintended consequences or even backfire on the parents (Cherry, 2018). A recent meta-analysis of several decades' worth of research on spanking and other physical punishments largely considered not to be abusive showed that these punishments made a child significantly more likely to display undesirable and unintended consequences, such as anti-social behavior and mental health problems (Gershoff & Grogan-Kaylor, 2016). In fact, the effects of spanking and other “non-abusive” forms of physical punishment were observed to be almost as detrimental as physical abuse.

References

1. Skinner, B.F. (1971). Beyond Freedom and Dignity. New York: Knopf.
2. McLeod, S. (2018). “Skinner - Operant Conditioning”. Simply Psychology.
3. Lehman, J. (2012). “7 Guidelines for Using Positive Punishment”.
4. Milbourn Jr., G. (1996). “The Effects of Positive Punishment in the Workplace”.
5. Cherry, K. (2018). “The Pros and Cons of Using Positive Punishment”.
6. Gershoff, E.T., & Grogan-Kaylor, A. (2016). “Spanking and Child Outcomes: Old Controversies and New Meta-Analyses”.

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