Essential Reading
Read this short article from Educate Autism to clarify the concept of Negative Reinforcement and to understand some common misconceptions. There are helpful diagrams to support your understanding:
Educate Autism: Negative Reinforcement
Next, read this exchange between an RBT student and their BCBA supervisor, where they discuss the relationship between operant conditioning, classical conditioning, and reinforcement:
Emma (RBT): Hi, Doctor! I was wondering if you could help me understand the difference between positive and negative reinforcement in ABA and how it differs from classical conditioning?
Keller (BCBA): Hello Emma! I’d be glad to help you with that. Positive and negative reinforcement are concepts in operant conditioning, which focuses on behavior and its consequences. Positive reinforcement involves adding a pleasant stimulus after a behavior to increase its future occurrence — like praise, tokens, or preferred items.
Emma: I see. So positive reinforcement is adding something pleasant to increase behavior. But what about negative reinforcement?
Keller: Correct! Negative reinforcement involves removing or avoiding an aversive stimulus immediately after a behavior, which also increases that behavior. But remember — negative reinforcement is not punishment. It removes discomfort to increase a behavior. Positive and negative punishment, which you’ll learn about later, are about decreasing behavior.
Emma: Thank you! So positive and negative reinforcement both increase behavior, while punishment decreases it. And these are different from classical conditioning?
Keller: Yes! Classical conditioning, studied by Pavlov, is about associating a neutral stimulus with a reflexive response — it’s not about consequences. Operant conditioning, however, is all about how consequences shape future behavior.
Emma: That makes sense now. Thank you for explaining!
Keller: You’re welcome! Understanding these principles is essential for effective behavior change strategies. Keep asking questions as you learn more.
Essential Video
Watch this 3-minute video from Side by Side. It provides a clear explanation of reinforcement, clears up common misconceptions, and shows examples of how RBTs might use reinforcement with autistic clients:
Conversation Exercise
Complete the Conversation Exercise with FRED, our AI-powered chatbot. This will help reinforce your understanding of positive and negative reinforcement through guided questions.
Click for instructions on accessing and using FRED
Click the conversation icon in the bottom right corner of your screen, or open FRED directly here.
For guidance on using FRED effectively, read our instructions here.
Reflection Exercise
After completing the reading, video, and conversation exercise, reflect on your learning using the prompts below. Your reflection should be:
- Between 100 and 500 words (about 5–7 sentences minimum)
- Written in your preferred language
- Expressed in your own words — do not copy text from chatbots, websites, or this course
You’ll receive an email copy of your reflection to aid your RBT exam preparation.
Click to view Reflection Prompts & Example
Reflection Prompts (use one or more):
- Summarize Key Concepts: What is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement?
- Define in Your Own Words: How would you explain reinforcement to a parent or colleague?
- Importance and Connections: Why is distinguishing reinforcement from punishment important in ABA?
- Practical Applications: Can you think of examples of reinforcement in your own life or practice?
- Insights: Did anything about reinforcement or its misconceptions surprise you?
Example Reflection:
I used to think negative reinforcement was just punishment, but I now realize it’s about removing something unpleasant to increase a behavior. For example, taking an aspirin to get rid of a headache makes me more likely to take one next time — that’s negative reinforcement. I also learned that positive reinforcement isn’t just about praise — it can be anything added that makes a behavior more likely. Understanding this helps me plan interventions better and avoid confusing punishment with reinforcement. I’ll be more aware of how my actions or feedback might unintentionally reinforce certain behaviors in clients and in daily life.
When you’re ready, submit your reflection below:
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