Reinforcement vs. Punishment
Instructions. For each example presented below, identify whether
positive reinforcement (PR), negative reinforcement (NR), or punishment
(PUN) is illustrated by placing the appropriate abbreviation in the
blank next to the item.
________ 1. Police pulling drivers
over and giving prizes for buckling up
________ 2. Suspending a
basketball player for committing a flagrant foul
________ 3. A soccer player rolls
her eyes at a teammate who delivered a bad pass
________ 4. A child snaps her
fingers until her teacher calls on her
________ 5. A hospital patient is
allowed extra visiting time after eating a complete meal
________ 6. Receiving a city
utility discount for participating in a recycling program
________ 7. Grounding a teenager
until his or her homework is finished
________ 8. Scolding a child for
playing in the street
________ 9. A prisoner loses TV
privileges for one week for a rule violation
________ 10. A parent nagging a
child to clean up her room
________ 11. A rat presses a lever
to terminate a shock or a loud tone
________ 12. A professor gives
extra credit to students with perfect attendance
________ 13. A dog is banished to
his doghouse after soiling the living room carpet
________ 14. A defendant is
harassed and tortured until he confesses
________ 15. A young child
receives $5 for earning good grades in school
________ 16. A mother smiles when
her child utters “Mama”
________ 17. A child is put into
“time out” for misbehaving
________ 18. Employee of the month
gets a reserved parking space
________ 19. At a party, a husband
becomes sullen when his wife flirts with a colleague
________ 20. A woman watching a
football game offers her child candy to play quietly
