DISCIPLINE VS.

PUNISHMENT
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
REINFORCEMENT
BY: I V Y G . C AT U IR A
 Effective discipline helps children learn to
control their behavior so that they act according to
their ideas of what is right and wrong,, not because
they fear punishment.
DISCIPLINE VS. PUNISHMENT

Discipline comes from the Latin

word disciplina, meaning instruction or
teaching to correct, or strengthen,

Discipline is used to teach and guide.

DISCIPLINE VS. PUNISHMENT

Punishment validates fear, pain, intimidation

and violence as acceptable methods of
resolving conflict.
Punishment is used for the purposes of
controlling and retribution. Young children
commit their mistakes and it calls for a
corrective disciplinary response.
DISCIPLINE VS. PUNISHMENT

Discipline is a positive method of

teaching students self-control

Punishment is the reaction to a lack of

discipline so the first step of preventing
the need for punishment is to teach
and encourage discipline.
DISCIPLINE VS. PUNISHMENT

Discipline teaches children a particular misbehavior is

bad because it violates the social order, thus
promoting the development of internal controls.

Punishment causes children to focus their attention and

anger toward an “unfair” adult rather than on learning
to be responsible for their own actions.
Discipline:
• is guiding and teaching;
• is done with a child;
• requires understanding, time, and patience;
• teaches problem solving and builds a positive self-image;
develops long-term self-control and cooperation.
Punishment:
• is control by fear, power, and coercion;
• is done to the child;
• elicits anger, guilt, resentment,
• impairs communication and wholesome parent-child
relationships;
• stops undesired behavior in the specific situation temporarily, but
behavior often is exhibited in other ways.
POSITIVE AND
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcement
The term reinforce means to
strengthen, and is used in psychology to
refer to anything stimulus which
strengthens or increases the probability
of a specific response.
Positive Reinforcement. Think of it as adding something
in order to increase a response.
For example, adding a treat will increase the response of
sitting; adding praise will increase the chances of your
child fixing his things.
The most common types of positive reinforcement or
praise and rewards, and most of us have experienced
this as both the giver and receiver.
Negative Reinforcement. Think of negative
reinforcement as taking something negative away in
order to increase a response.
Imagine a teenager who is nagged by his mother to
take out the garbage week after week. After
complaining to his friends about the nagging, he
finally one day performs the task and to his
amazement, the nagging stops. The elimination of
this negative stimulus is reinforcing and will likely
increase the chances that he will take out the garbage
next week.
CLASSROOM SITUATION

Problem: Students don’t participate in class.

A student gets bonus points for participation.

What/Why: The addition of bonus points is an example of

positive reinforcement because something is added to
increase the behavior (participation).
CLASSROOM SITUATION

Problem: Students don’t participate in class.

A teacher will drop the lowest score of a past assignment if the

students have high participation in class.

What/Why: The bonus points are an example of negative

reinforcement because something is removed to increase
the behavior (participation).
CLASSROOM SITUATION

Problem: Student constantly talks out of turn.

Every time the student speaks up without being called the

teacher makes them go stand in the corner.

What/Why: Removing the student from the class is an example

of punishment. The instructor is trying to stop an undesirable
behavior. (talking out of turn)
CLASSROOM SITUATION

Problem: Student constantly talks out of turn.

Every time the student raises their hand they are given verbal
praise for following directions.

What/Why: Praise is an example of positive reinforcement. The

instructor is trying to encourage a different behavior. (raising
their hand to be called on)