Reinforcement and
Punishment
Principles of behavior modification and
operant conditioning (discussed in chapters 10 and 11) state that a
person will be motivated to seek reinforcement and to avoid
punishment. Teachers who incorporate principles of behavior
modification into their lesson plans and instructional style have
gone a long way toward motivating their students. The following
principles of behavior modification are particularly relevant to
motivating students to learn:
- It is far better to use intrinsic
(natural) rather than extrinsic (artificial) reinforcement and
punishment. This is because intrinsic, natural reinforcers
will always be available to learners, whereas extrinsic,
artificial consequences may disappear once the learner leaves the
instructional setting. In addition, artificial reinforcers often
have the effect of reducing the learner's feeling of
self-determination; and this is likely to reduce motivation to
engage in similar activities in the future. Many of the
motivational principles discussed throughout the this chapter will
help you determine what is likely to be perceived as naturally
reinforcing by the learners you deal with.
- When natural reinforcers are not
available, it is often necessary to use artificial consequences to
motivate learners. But when artificial, extrinsic motivation
is employed, it should always be backed up by natural, intrinsic
motivation. Otherwise, the motivation is likely to be only
temporary, and the long-range impact may be an actual loss of
motivation.
- Only consequences that the learner
himself or herself perceives to be reinforcing will motivate that
learner. In addition, as this chapter and chapter 10 will
later show, some reinforcing events that strengthen short-range,
extrinsic motivation may actually reduce long-term, intrinsic
motivation. Motivation springs from the thoughts and emotions of
the person being motivated - teachers or other motivators can be
successful only to the extent that they align their efforts with
the inner thoughts and feelings of the learners. The same teacher
activity may motivate one learner and decrease the motivation of
another, depending on the perceptions of the learners.
- There are numerous incentives and
consequences competing for a learner's attention at any given
time. The factors that the learner perceives to have the
strongest combined influence {See analysis in chapter 10.} will
usually determine the learner's course of action.
- Many of the factors that motivate
students lie largely beyond the direct control of the teacher and
others in the educational system.
Click on a topic from the following list, or
use your web browser to go where you want to go:
Introduction
Motivation
Intrinsic
Motivation
Challenge
Curiosity
Control
Fantasy
Interpersonal
Motivation
Summary of Intrinsic
Motivation
Motivating Through Curriculum
Reinforcement and Punishment
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Affective Aspects of
Motivation
Physiological
Aspects of Motivation
Cognitive Aspects of
Motivation
Needs and Motivation
Self-Efficacy
Attribution
Theory
Development and
Motivation
Motivation as a
Personality Characteristic
Teacher
Expectancy
Social Aspects of
Motivation: Classroom Structure
What Teachers Can Do
About Motivation
What Parents Can Do
About Motivation
What Students Can Do
About Motivation
Chapter Summary
Annotated
Bibliography
Footnotes
Answers to Quizzes