This educational technique uses the premium system to encourage desired behaviors in children. But is it really advantageous? If on the one hand the small ones, on the other, an excessive use risks making them dependent on the rewards
“If you eat all the vegetables I buy you ice cream”, “if you tease your teeth, get a nice gold star” …
Many adults, almost for automatic reflection, tend to resort to praise, premiums or stickers to ensure that children “behave well”, to motivate them to do better or repeat a right or necessary conduct. These are therefore strategies for modifying behaviors based on the use of the so -called “positive reinforcements”.
But what exactly consists of positive reinforcement And what is distinguished from negative reinforcement? How many types of reinforcements exist and, above all, is it right to use them with our children?
In this article we will try to answer these questions and to understand the effect that the continuous use of reinforcements can have on the education of children.
What is positive reinforcement?
To theorize the concept of reinforcement was the American psychologist Burrhus behaviorist Skinner, who defined him as a useful stimulus to increase the possibility that a certain behavior is implemented and repeated. Skinner also operated a fundamental distinction between two types of reinforcements: positive and negative.
What is positive reinforcement? It is a matter of offering the child a stimulus or a pleasant consequence in response to his conduct, with the aim of increasing it in terms of frequency.
We can better understand the concept of positive reinforcement by analyzing the so -called “token economy technique” (also known as “tokely reinforcement system”). This technique provides that children are rewarded with a sticker or star to be affixed on a scoreboard whenever they implement the desired conduct from the adult. Upon reaching a certain score, children receive a reward of some kind, such as recognition or a prize.
The purpose of this educational technique is therefore to motivate children to conquer stickers through the implementation of the behaviors considered correct, while averting the conduct seen as problems.
The negative reinforcement, however, always has the aim of increasing the desired behavior, but through the elimination of behaviors deemed unpleasant.
When we talk about positive reinforcement e differences with reinforcement negativetherefore, it must be said that the latter essentially concern the way in which the association between behavior and related consequences is created:
- Positive reinforcement: there is the addition of something positive for the child (for example, a recognition or a prize).
- Negative reinforcement: you have the subtraction of something negative (for example, remove a limitation if the child makes homework).
In order to have an effect, however, so much the positive reinforcement how much the negative one must have a series of characteristics. Reinforcements must in fact be:
- Personal and significantso that they are strong enough to induce the baby to change their conduct.
- Immediatethat is, they arrive immediately after the child’s behavior so that the creation of the association is possible.
- Not accessible for the childthat is, they must be or represent something that the baby is unable to obtain autonomously; Only in this case, in fact, will the reinforcement represent a sufficient incentive to implement a certain conduct.
What are the positive reinforcements and how do they fit into education?
It is important to operate a distinction between the different Types of positive reinforcements.
The first category concerns the so -called primary reinforcements, which meet the fundamental needs of children. A Example of positive reinforcement primary It is food, others are heat and physical contact.
Then there are positive socio-affective reinforcements, such as praise, praise and compliments, which leverage the deep needs of approval and attention by adults.
Finally, tangible reinforcements, or concrete objects (a toy, money, a prize, etc.).
According to supporters of the approach, all these types of reinforcement can be used systematically to create associations between conduct and responses and thus induce children the desired behavioral changes in children.
Although on the subject of education The positive reinforcement It is presented by many as a better alternative than the punishment method, the use of this strategy presents many critical issues and risks. Let’s see them together.
What are the real benefits of positive reinforcement?
The use of mechanisms of positive reinforcement in education of children really involves some benefits? In the short term, apparently yes.
Among the pro indicated by the supporters of positive reinforcement There is the fact that it would be a simple and quick technique to implement, useful especially in critical moments (as in the course of a “whim”), to solve problematic behaviors.
Thanks to the offer of the desired incentives or prizes (a candy, an ice cream, a toy), the conduct of the children in fact seems to improve quickly and the desired behaviors become more frequent. But is the use of positive reinforcements systematicly really useful? And what are the effects of this practice over time?
A first problem is found in the need to constantly change or increase the extent of the reinforcement.
Exactly as in the case of punishments, in fact, a mechanism of habituation comes into play: the child “gets used to” a given level of reinforcement, this means that the adult will therefore have to keep his interest alive by raising from time to time the ASTICELLA of the Award.
A second problem lies in the fact that the association between behavior and reward becomes so strong that when the prize or recognition are also lacking, the desired conduct is also extinguished. Let’s imagine, for example, a child who every night washes his teeth, but he does it only because he knows that in the end he will receive a adhesive as recognition. Until the reward system is active, the baby is motivated and performs the action with enthusiasm. However, if one day the adhesive stops being offered, the child could refuse to wash his teeth, showing disinterest or even expressing frustration. This is because he did not internalized the importance of the gesture, but he limited himself to carrying it out to obtain an external advantage.
The recourse continues to positive reinforcements in fact feeds the so -called “Extrinsic motivation”: The child does not implement the behavior desired by the adult because he aware of his adequacy or necessity, but only and exclusively because it is motivated by the possibility of obtaining external recognition. As soon as the reward disappears, therefore, the beneficial effect that had, up to that moment, generated, also disappears.
Very different when, however, the child performs an activity or implements behavior because he finds him in itself motivating, because he gives him satisfaction or because it includes its correctness or necessity.
Returning to the case of washing the teeth, if the parent helps the child understand the importance of oral hygiene, for example involving him playfully in the process and transmitting how good this habit for his health is, it is more likely that the child develops one internal motivation, experimenting with the satisfaction deriving from taking care of itself, without needing an external prize. In this case we can talk about “Intrinsic motivation”that is, coming from the inside, much more important with a long -term personal growth perspective.
Take for example the system of votes applied in schools, which unfortunately induces many students to “study for the vote”: the extrinsic recognition (the vote precisely) than the satisfaction or conveying deriving from the learning acquired is more to count.
To conclude, we should ask ourselves about the effects that the reinforcement systems have on the self -esteem, the pleasure of doing and the sense of self -efficacy of the little ones. What anxiety must feel a child who, despite the efforts, cannot conquer the much desired star on the scoreboard? And what frustration or embarrassment does he have to experience the girl who loses points, perhaps in front of his teammates?
Resorting too frequently to reward systems based on positive reinforcement is likely to grow children unable to obtain satisfaction or pleasure from the actions performed or from the results obtained unless not to receive some form of reward or external approval. The praise, the adhesive, the golden star, thus risk transforming into double -edged weaponsdangerously weakening the pleasure and intrinsic motivation of children, undermining their trust and making them dependent on adult approval.
But then, when and how to distribute positive reinforcements?
As we have seen, although apparently easy and effective, the continuous and systematic use of positive reinforcements cannot be considered the best path to consciously guide children and generate deep changes in them.
To a reinforcement based system we should try to prefer, whenever possible, an educational approach based onempathyon the dialogue and on presence.
An example is given by those that the psychologist Thomas Gordon calls “positive positive messages”, alternatives to the classic praise. While the latter usually consists of a affirmation and evaluation on the other (“You have been a good child!”), The first person message communicates something of what the behavior of the other person has caused in us («He has me The pleasure that you helped to disagree the table this morning “).
In positive positive messages there should be no ambiguity, nor a hidden attempt to manipulate the child, rather the intent to communicate in a sincere and authentic way with him.
This does not mean demonizing the use of forms of reinforcement. There is nothing wrong with changing every now and then with a simple “good!” Our child or in giving him something so desired for him when he reaches a goal (for example, on the occasion of the long -awaited end of year report!). What really matters is to pay attention to the frequency with which we resort to reinforcement mechanisms (thus avoiding abusing them) and we can move on to our children. Our goal must in fact be to help them appreciate what makes the adoption of certain conduct or the performance of certain activities intrinsically satisfactory.
It is not always simple, much less rapid. Accompany the boys and girls in a conscious, careful and kind way requires effort and commitment, which will however be fully rewarded on the long term.
