Classroom Management and Negative Reinforcement.

Of the four simple consequences for behavior, none is more misunderstood than negative reinforcement. A Negative Reinforcement Quiz administered to 233 student teachers from two universities revealed that the vast majority of respondents mistakenly viewed negative reinforcement as a synonym for punishment, and believe that negative reinforcement is used to stop, not start, desired behaviors. Also, student teachers overwhelmingly stated that they would not consciously use negative reinforcement in the future. This paper documents that a misunderstanding exists concerning negative reinforcement, explains why the misunderstanding exists, and explores the consequences for classroom management if the misunderstanding is permitted to continue. (Author)