Positive vs. Negative Reinforcement — RBT Skill Acquisition Guide

Distinguishing Positive and Negative Reinforcement

Reinforcement is a foundational concept in ABA. Both positive and negative reinforcement generally increase behavior. However, many students confuse the two. Understanding the distinction is crucial for your RBT practice test.

Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement involves adding a stimulus following a behavior to increase that behavior in the future. Think of it as "adding a plus." For example, giving a child a sticker for completing a math problem adds a desirable item.

Negative Reinforcement

Negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus following a behavior to increase that behavior. Think of it as "subtracting a minus." For instance, putting on a seatbelt to stop the annoying car alarm removes the noise.

Common Misconceptions

Negative reinforcement is not punishment. Punishment decreases behavior, whereas reinforcement always increases behavior. If the behavior happens more often in the future, it was reinforcement.

Exam Tips for Reinforcement

When analyzing a scenario, ask two questions: 1. Did the behavior increase or decrease? (Increase = Reinforcement). 2. Was something added or removed? (Added = Positive, Removed = Negative). This simple logic check solves most questions.