Positive reinforcement

How it is used

A term from behaviourism (B. F. Skinner) that is widely used in behaviour policies and training. In everyday nursery talk people often just say praise or rewards. Reinforcement always makes a behaviour more likely; punishment makes it less likely.

Example sentences

1. We use positive reinforcement, like specific praise, rather than punishment.

2. Positive reinforcement works best straight after the behaviour.

Common collocations

• use positive reinforcement
• positive reinforcement strategies
• reward chart
• negative reinforcement

Related terms

• praiseWords or signs of approval given to a child for what they did or how hard they tried; early years practice often prefers specific praise to general comments like 'good girl'.
• behaviourThe way a child acts and reacts, especially in everyday situations with other people; in childcare it is often discussed in terms of what the child is trying to communicate.
• consequenceWhat happens as a result of a child's behaviour, either naturally (a toy left in the rain gets wet) or arranged by an adult and clearly linked to the behaviour.
• boundariesClear and consistent limits that adults set for children about what is and is not acceptable, so that children feel safe and know what to expect.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• positive reinforcement · Education & Teaching

More terms: Behaviour and Guidance

• tantrum
• time-out
• challenging behaviour
• redirect