The Power of Reinforcement

Download or read book The Power of Reinforcement written by Stephen Ray Flora and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2012-02-01 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2004 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title According to Stephen Ray Flora, reinforcement is a very powerful tool for improving the human condition despite often being dismissed as regarding people as less than human and as "overly simplistic." This book addresses and defends the use of reinforcement principles against a wide variety of attacks. Countering the myths, criticisms, and misrepresentations of reinforcement, including false claims that reinforcement is "rat psychology," the author shows that building reinforcement theory on basic laboratory research is a strength, not a weakness, and allows unlimited applications to human situations as it promotes well-being and productivity. Also examined are reinforcement contingencies, planned or accidental, as they shape behavioral patterns and repertoires in a positive way.