What do positive and negative reinforcement have in common?

Positive and negative reinforcement share a common goal: increasing the frequency of a desired behavior. In positive reinforcement, a favorable outcome or reward follows a behavior, making it more likely that the behavior will be repeated in the future. For instance, giving a child a treat for finishing their homework encourages them to complete their work again.

On the other hand, negative reinforcement involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior occurs, which also strengthens the likelihood of that behavior being repeated. For example, if a student studies to avoid getting a poor grade, they are likely to study more in the future because they want to escape the negative consequence.

Both forms of reinforcement focus on enhancing the likelihood of a behavior occurring again, making them effective strategies in behavior modification.